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CSU faculty member pleads not guilty to assaulting immigration agents with their own tear gas
Jonathan Caravello and their attorney, Knut Johnson, at a press conference following the arraignment. Behind them, California Faculty Association members stand in support.
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Julia Barajas
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LAist
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Jonathan Caravello, a philosophy lecturer at California State University, Channel Islands, entered a not guilty plea this morning in federal court.
Caravello has been charged with one felony count of assaulting an immigration agent with a deadly or dangerous weapon — in this case, the alleged weapon is a tear gas canister agents deployed against protesters.
Caravello was arrested July 10, in a confrontation between federal agents and activists who were protesting two massive immigration raids at licensed cannabis facilities in Ventura County.
Details of the case
Federal prosecutors allege that agents deployed tear gas as a crowd-control measure and that Caravello picked up a canister and threw it back at officers. Witnesses dispute this account. That day, immigration agents detained hundreds of farmworkers, and one of them died after falling from a greenhouse roof in an attempt to flee.
If Caravello is convicted, they face up to 20 years in federal prison.
While wearing an ankle bracelet at a press conference following the arraignment, the lecturer thanked the California Faculty Association — which represents professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors and coaches across the California State University system — for its support.
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“We need to always be out there for each other,” they added. “Each and every worker in this country, no matter if documented or not, is a community member. ... These are my neighbors.”
The case will go to trial March 23, 2026.
Caravello’s attorney, Knut Johnson, told LAist, “We have a high degree of confidence that a fair jury would find Dr. Caravello not guilty.” The DOJ said it had no comment.
Nancy Covarrubias Gill, a spokesperson for CSU Channel Islands, said the following in an email: "As this matter is currently before the courts, we will not be commenting on the details of the case. We respect the legal process and believe it is important to allow it to proceed without speculation."
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