Federal authorities in Los Angeles say a city-funded nonprofit employee who portrayed himself as a “peace ambassador” was arrested for possessing body armor as a convicted felon and for continuing ties to the 18th Street gang. Prosecutors say the man, Michael
By the time he was approached in MacArthur Park on May 18, Michael Angel Alvarez had already been living a double life—at least, prosecutors say.
Federal authorities in Los Angeles announced Thursday that the 41-year-old employee of a gang intervention nonprofit was arrested for possessing body armor as a convicted felon. accusing him of continuing to be an active member of the 18th Street gang while working for his city-funded “peace ambassador” program.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli framed the case as a betrayal of public trust, pointing to Alvarez’s criminal past. Alvarez, the federal filing says, had previously been convicted of committing a murder as a member of the gang. “There is no indication Alvarez has ever stopped associating with the 18th Street gang. ” Essayli wrote in a post on X. “The hardworking tax payers of Los Angeles deserve better than to see their money shelled out to a convicted gang murderer.”.
Alvarez was in MacArthur Park when two police officers approached him. The Justice Department news release and a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in the Central District of California say the officers initially mistook him as the suspect in a vehicle theft. During the encounter, prosecutors said Alvarez identified himself as “CRT,” a reference to Mayor Karen Bass’ Crisis Response Team.
The city’s website describes the Crisis Response Team as “volunteers from all walks of life who provide immediate, on-scene, practical, and emotional support to survivors impacted by personal tragedies,” including homicides.
According to the complaint, police searched Alvarez’s car and found two plates of military-grade body armor in the trunk. Body armor is legal for most Americans to own. prosecutors noted in their filings. but felons with a history of violence are barred from possessing it. When police asked why he had the armor. the complaint says Alvarez told them he was going to “draw on it” because he liked “doing graffiti and stuff like that.” Prosecutors also said Alvarez told police he planned to display the art for neighborhood youth.
Alvarez—nicknamed “Diablo,” according to the charging documents—was convicted of first-degree murder in 2002 and sentenced to 50 years to life in prison before being released in 2024, court records show.
In a jailhouse telephone call recording since his release, Essayli said Alvarez discussed assaulting individuals for breaking gang rules.
After his release from prison. the Justice Department said the local nonprofit Healing Urban Barrios agreed to train and employ Alvarez in its gang intervention program. The Lincoln Heights-based nonprofit has a contract with the city to provide ambassador services in Council District 1. which includes MacArthur Park. where Alvarez was arrested. Prosecutors said Alvarez was paid a salary of $58,000 through the organization.
Healing Urban Barrios did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. whose office oversees Council District 1. said in a statement that Alvarez was removed from the Peace Ambassador program earlier this month. “We take any allegations of misconduct seriously,” the statement from Hernandez’s office said. “We will not allow allegations involving one former employee of a nonprofit organization to discredit an entire field of work and dedicated intervention workers who show up every day to prevent harm.”.
The Peace Ambassador program kicked off in 2025. spearheaded by Hernandez. as a public safety strategy meant to augment direct police interventions. Under the program. the city pays non-profits to deploy trained street ambassadors to “prevent violence before it starts and to support Angelenos in moments of crisis.” City materials say ambassadors typically have “lived experience in the justice or gang systems. ” and are trained in trauma-informed care.
City officials have credited gang intervention workers as one of the factors behind significant reductions in violent crime in recent years, with homicides and shootings both falling to near-historic lows.
The arrest also comes as federal authorities expanded enforcement operations in the MacArthur Park area—carrying out gang sweeps. immigration operations. and narcotics investigations. The Trump-appointed federal prosecutor. Essayli. has become one of the most visible faces of the administration’s immigration and anti-gang crackdown in Los Angeles.
Days after becoming the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, Essayli established a task force aimed at investigating local homelessness and community safety spending. “If state and local officials cannot provide proper oversight and accountability, we will do it for them,” he said at the time.
Last week, Essayli announced federal drug charges against an ex-employee of a harm reduction organization that previously served MacArthur Park after the man was caught with fentanyl, methamphetamine and a scale in his car.
Alvarez has not yet entered a plea in response to the charges, and court records did not list an attorney for him.
Los Angeles MacArthur Park 18th Street gang Michael Angel Alvarez peace ambassador body armor Justice Department Council District 1 Eunisses Hernandez Healing Urban Barrios Crisis Response Team