A California college professor has been indicted on felony charges after allegedly throwing a tear gas canister back at federal agents during a protest at a marijuana farm this summer, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
Jonathan Anthony Caravello, 37, a mathematics and philosophy professor at California State University Channel Islands, was formally indicted Wednesday on a charge of assaulting a federal officer. The incident took place during a large-scale July 10 federal operation at a farm in Camarillo, where over 300 individuals suspected of working illegally were detained by agents from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Border Patrol.
According to prosecutors, as tear gas was deployed to disperse a crowd of demonstrators blocking federal agents from leaving the site, Caravello allegedly picked up a tear gas canister and threw it back at officers. The protest had escalated, with some individuals reportedly throwing rocks at government vehicles.
Court documents state that Caravello left the scene after the incident, changed clothes, and returned to the protest about two hours later. He was later identified by agents and taken into custody, during which he allegedly resisted arrest.
Caravello was initially charged with felony assault on July 12, but those charges were downgraded to a misdemeanor. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge on August 25, telling the Ventura County Star, “Anything and everything I do at protests is to protect people. I would never intentionally harm anyone.”
However, following a grand jury review this week, the felony charge was reinstated. If convicted, Caravello could face up to 20 years in federal prison.
He is currently free on a $15,000 bond and is expected to be arraigned in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. California State University Channel Islands has not publicly commented on the case.