Cal State University Channel Islands philosophy professor Dr. John Caravello has been acquitted of federal assault charges following a high-profile trial in Downtown Los Angeles.
The Justice Department had sought a conviction that carried a potential 20-year prison sentence, accusing Caravello of assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon during a July 2025 immigration raid at a Camarillo cannabis farm.
The government alleged that Caravello threw a tear gas canister at federal agents. While the professor did not deny throwing the canister, his defense maintained he threw it away from the crowd and over the heads of agents to protect community members from the chemical irritant.
On Friday, April 10, 2026, a jury rejected the federal prosecutors' arguments, leading to a celebration among the students, educators, and activists who have rallied behind him for the past nine months.
The trial highlighted growing tensions between activists and federal law enforcement. Sandra Samanea, an activist and member of "The Baldwin Park Three," spoke at the courthouse, noting she was locked up for three months on similar charges before her own acquittal.
The California Faculty Association (CFA) president claimed this verdict is part of a larger trend, stating that federal prosecutors have struggled to win "assault on a federal officer" cases because the public views them as attempts to intimidate peaceful protesters.
Records indicate that federal agents have increased presence at Southern California cannabis sites due to the intersection of state-legal operations and federal immigration status, a flashpoint that led to the initial confrontation in Camarillo.
The Justice Department has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the acquittal.
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