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LA 'peace ambassador' previously convicted of murder pleads not guilty in body armor case
Michael Angel Alvarez, 41, was arrested by the FBI on May 29 on allegations he was in possession of body armor after a violent felony conviction during a previous arrest by LAPD.
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Courtesy U.S. Department of Justice
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Update: The case against Michael Angel Alvarez was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Anne Hwang on Sept. 9, 2026. Hwang ruled that under state law, a 2002 murder conviction for a gang-related shooting Alvarez committed when he was 15 years old could no longer be considered a violent felony after that case was sent back to juvenile court in 2024.
Topline:
A man federal prosecutors say was an active gang leader while working as a city contractor pleaded not guilty Tuesday for possession of body armor after a previous murder conviction, which is illegal under federal and California law.
The details: Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California allege Michael Angel Alvarez, 41, was an 18th Street gang leader at the same time he worked as a peace ambassador for the nonprofit Healing Urban Barrios. The job focused on reducing tensions and potential violence among gangs in L.A.’s Council District 1.
The backstory: Alvarez was previously convicted of a gang-related murder in 2002 and released from custody in 2024. A spokesperson for Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, who represents the district, previously told LAist they were never told of any new allegations against Alvarez prior to his arrest in May.
What the lawyers say: Prosecutors claim in court documents that Alvarez already admitted to law enforcement officers that he was in a leadership position within the gang and had body armor despite his previous murder conviction.
Alvarez’s lawyers have argued in court documents that he did have contact with the 18th Street gang after his release from prison but only because of his employment as a gang violence-reduction worker with Healing Urban Barrios.
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Lawyers for Alvarez and the federal government told LAist they would not give further comment on the case Tuesday.
What’s next: A trial date has been set for Aug. 18. Alvarez currently is in federal custody after the court found “by clear and convincing evidence that [he] presents a serious danger to the community,” court records show. Prosecutors wrote in court documents that Alvarez also “knows that he is under investigation for crimes that carry great sentencing exposure,” indicating other charges could be coming.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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