South Los Angeles residents who allegedly tried to chase and stop immigration officials face federal charges

A South Los Angeles couple faces criminal charges allegedly using their car to try to block and hunt federal immigration agents who served search warrants earlier this year.

Federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that Gustavo Torres, 28, and Kiara Jaime-Flores, 34, were charged with conspiracy to obstruct or injure officials.

The couple was unable to comment. It is not clear whether they have legal representation.

The allegations stem from a February 28 incident when the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents provided search warrants in South Los Angeles. A small group of people gathered outside a house near Florence, according to a federal affidavit in the charging documents.

At 9:32 a.m., three federal law enforcement vehicles left the scene, court documents said. There is no indication whether federal agents were taken away by anyone in the house.

An agent recorded Jaime-Flores outside the house next to him leaving Honda. The same car blocked the vehicles of agents on 61st Street and Broadway. The affidavit says agents are able to drive around Honda.

Torres was driving in a government car and actively used the brakes, the affidavit said. Torres then drove into the gas station and followed the agents about two miles, agents said.

Federal agents used surveillance videos from local businesses to determine the Honda's fitted license plate.

On May 5, a federal broker interviewed Jaime-Flores while at a traffic stop. She admitted she was driving a Honda driving license. The affidavit said she asked if she was questioned about the immigration-related incident.

She told the agent that she and her boyfriend, who later became known as Torres, went to the Florentine community residence after seeing the event on social media. She said the couple opposed the immigration agent's activities, according to the affidavit.

According to the agent, Jaime-Flores agreed to search her phone. The agent found deleted social media images from the house where the February 28 search warrant served as immigration agents.

An outdated photo reads: "We tried to stop, but I can't be alone! We need to stop them together! Please let's fight together in a great way! Somos Mas Mas Gente Que official Migra!

Jaime-Flores was detained and placed in the back seat of the Inglewood Police Station cruiser. The affidavit says she read her Miranda rights and agreed to speak with the agent.

Jaime-Flores then called Torres in the presence of an immigration agent. The affidavit says she told him to meet with the agent because “we did nothing wrong.”

Torres met with agents on business at Santa Fe Springs and was told he was not arrested. Torres said he had his driver's license revoked and was suspended the same day the agent was conducting his actions.

In the interview, Torres allegedly admitted to being involved in stopping immigrant vehicles, actively moving vehicles and following them.

He told the agent: "We think it's a good idea, you know if you know, if it's an immigrant, they're making someone's family unreasonable... So, my girlfriend and I were the first instinct to stop a car."

The agent showed him other photos from the surveillance video and asked him to drive behind federal agents after he exited from the gas station.

"I know, it's so stupid that I'll never do it in my life, I don't know what I'm thinking. I don't know. I'll never do it again," he told the agents in an interview.

The couple is scheduled to appear in federal court Wednesday afternoon.