The Voice of San Francisco

MacArthur Park Update This morning, @FBILosAngeles arrested Michael Angel Alvarez, 41, a.k.a. “Diablo,” an active 18th Street gang member, convicted murderer, and Los Angeles “Peace Ambassador” who is being paid with L.A. city taxpayer dollars. According to Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez: “Peace Ambassadors are embedded in the communities they serve. Their presence strengthens safety networks and ensures families have someone to turn to outside of law enforcement when facing non-emergency conflict or community stress.” Alvarez is charged in a federal criminal complaint with possession of body armor by a violent felon, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Alvarez was paid more than $58,000 last year for his work for Healing Urban Barrios, an organization that contracted with the city for its Peace Ambassador program that is run in the city’s Council District 1, which includes MacArthur Park. Alvarez was convicted in 2002 for first-degree murder for which he was sentenced to 50 years to life in state prison, but was released by the State of California after serving just 24 years’ imprisonment. There is no indication Alvarez has ever stopped associating with the 18th Street gang. In fact, in jailhouse telephone call recordings of Alvarez since his release from state prison, he discussed assaulting individuals for breaking gang rules. @LAPDRampart officers who searched Alvarez’s car near MacArthur Park on May 18 discovered two body armor plates in the trunk. The plates are from Las Vegas and are marketed as “the highest protection level available on the civilian market.” The hardworking tax payers of Los Angeles deserve better than to see their money shelled out to a convicted gang murderer.

Gus Maddammal, candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction with John Rothmann | Voice of San Francisco thevoicesf.podbean.com/e/gus-maddamma…