LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a criminal case against Carlitos Ricardo Parias, a popular Los Angeles TikTok streamer, claiming his constitutional rights were violated due to his lawyers being repeatedly denied access to him while he was in immigration detention.
On Saturday, U.S. District Judge Fernando Olguin ruled to throw out the indictment against Parias, who is known for documenting police and immigration enforcement activities online. In his ruling, Olguin cited failures by federal authorities which prevented his defense team from visiting or communicating with him in time to prepare for his upcoming trial. The dismissal was with prejudice, effectively barring the government from refiling the charges against him.
According to Olguin, the government's inability to manage its various agencies' actions while pursuing criminal proceedings against Mr. Parias led to a scenario that resulted in constitutional violations.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles has expressed disagreement with the court's findings and announced it is considering appealing the decision.
Parias faced charges of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and damaging government property following an incident in October when he allegedly crashed his vehicle into federal agents attempting to arrest him on an immigration warrant. He was shot in the elbow during the altercation. Parias was released on bond and was in an immigration detention facility while awaiting trial.
Parias, a Mexican citizen living in the U.S. unlawfully, is recognized in South Los Angeles for his engaging TikTok videos which feature various topics, including local law enforcement activities and community events. His work includes documenting immigration enforcement actions and has accumulated over 340,000 followers across his platforms. His efforts seek to inform and mobilize local residents about immigration issues in the area.
