L.A. gang intervention worker charged for having body armor gets case dismissed

This is read by an automated voice.Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.

See more from the L.A.Times in Google Search.

Set us as preferred A judge dismissed federal charges Wednesday against a former member of a city-funded “peace ambassador” program in Los Angeles who was accused of being an 18th Street gang member and felon in possession of body armor earlier this year.Michael Angel Alvarez, 41, was ordered released from federal custody Wednesday after U.S.

Dist.Judge Anne Hwang determined his prior murder conviction no longer applied as a felony under a landmark 2016 change in California law that barred prosecutors from trying juveniles as adults without a judge’s approval.

Hwang granted a motion to dismiss an indictment against Alvarez, finding that his past conviction — which came when he was 15 years old — had been reclassified under the law and was no longer a felony.Alvarez was arrested near MacArthur Park by Los Angeles police officers in May who found two plates of military-grade body armor plates in the trunk of his car.The plates could have been used as inserts in a bulletproof vest, but Alvarez was not found to have a vest, according to court documents.

The California law that helped Alavarez, known as Proposition 57, is considered controversial in some circles because juveniles cannot be imprisoned beyond the age of 25, meaning the shift in law has resulted in the release of a number of convicted killers.After his release from state prison, Alvarez went to work as a gang interventionist with Healing Urban Barrios, a nonprofit that had a contract with the city to provide peace ambassador services in Los Angeles’ First City Council District, which includes MacArthur Park.At the time of the indictment, First Assistant U.S.

Atty.Bill Essayli said Alvarez was still an active gang member and chastised the gang intervention program.

“The hardworking tax payers of Los Angeles deserve better than to see their money shel...