LOS ANGELES, CA — Six men pleaded guilty this week to federal charges stemming from a violent clash with law enforcement during a protest in downtown Los Angeles that left a California Highway Patrol vehicle set on fire.
The defendants — Adam Charles Palermo, 40, of Rampart Village; Ismael Vega, 41, of Westlake; Yachua Mauricio Flores, 23, of Lincoln Heights; Balton Montion, 25, of Watsonville; Ronald Alexis Coreas, 23, of Westlake; and Junior Roldan, 27, of Hollywood — admitted to various charges tied to the June 8, 2025 incident at the Main Street overpass above the 101 Freeway, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The incident occurred amid several days of unrest in LA, sparked by a surge of immigration enforcement activity in the region.
Palermo pleaded guilty to a felony count of assaulting, resisting and impeding persons assisting federal officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon. Vega, Montion and Flores each pleaded guilty to felony counts of obstructing, impeding and interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder.
Coreas and Roldan each pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of simple assault on a person assisting a federal officer.
According to prosecutors, Palermo, Vega and Flores were part of a group that ignited debris and fireworks — including cardboard and vegetation — and dropped the burning materials from the overpass toward a CHP vehicle parked below, within feet of officers who were trapped underneath.
The vehicle later caught fire, and Flores poured a liquid that intensified the flames. Montion, Coreas and Roldan admitted to throwing rocks at officers attempting to clear the overpass, prosecutors said.
U.S. District Judge John F. Walter has scheduled sentencing hearings in the coming months. Palermo faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Vega, Montion and Flores each face a statutory maximum of five years, while Coreas and Roldan each face up to one year behind bars.
Palermo has been in federal custody since August 2025. The remaining defendants are free on bond.
A seventh defendant, Jesus Gonzalez Hernandez Jr., 22, of Las Vegas, is expected to plead guilty May 4 to a misdemeanor count of simple assault on a person assisting a federal officer.
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