On Thursday, deputies arrested a local street vendor activist for a string of assaults at protests throughout the Inland Empire and Los Angeles County.
During a press conference, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department charged Edin Alex Enamorado, 36, with seven felonies:
- Conspiracy
- False imprisonment
- Criminal threats
- Assault with a deadly weapon
- Prohibited person in possession of a tear gas weapon
- Felon in possession of a firearm
- Kidnapping
According to investigators, Enamorado and seven other accomplices pretended to be “Robin Hood-like” personalities by representing under-represented populations. Enamorado has regularly protected street sellers throughout Southern California, including a taco stand that was robbed at knifepoint.
“This group manipulates videos and photos on social media to appear to be protectors of under-represented people,” stated San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus. “However, they use racism to threaten and intimidate their victims, causing them to get on their knees to beg for forgiveness while still assaulting them.”
Following a protest in Victorville, deputies began investigating Enamorado’s team in late September. They stated that Enamorado and seven others viciously assaulted a demonstrator. Authorities found other assaults during protests linked to the group in Pomona, Upland, Fontana, and Los Angeles County.
“What this group does is not protected by the First Amendment — it’s illegal,” he said.
The Sheriff of San Bernardino County accused the group of manipulating footage to benefit from their crimes.
“They have a sizable fan base.” “The more clicks they get, the more money they make because of how the systems they use work,” Dicus explained. “They’re more about not substance for what their issues are but getting that clickbait and making money off of that, just like any internet influencer does.“
The other seven people detained alongside Enamorado are:
- Wendy Lujan, 40
- David Chavez, 28
- Stephanie Amesquita, 33
- Gullit Eder Acevedo, 30
- Edwin Pena, 26
- Fernando Lopez (Patino), 44,
- Vanessa Carrasco, 40
Deputies charged the others with a variety of offenses, including false imprisonment, conspiracy, criminal threats, and various assault levels.