Feds Use TikTok To Arrest Man Accused Of Towing Federal Vehicle During Immigration Arrest

On Tuesday, 33-year-old Bobby Nunez was arrested and charged with “stealing government property” after allegedly towing a federal police vehicle while agents attempted to arrest a TikTok influencer suspected of being in the country illegally. 

Nunez is accused of towing the federal vehicle during the August 15 arrest of Tatiana Mafla-Martinez, a 23-year-old, well-known TikToker who had been documenting immigration raids across Southern California.

On the morning of August 15, federal police used two vehicles to box Martinez’s Tesla in at the exit to the Da Vinci Apartment complex’s parking structure near Fremont Street on the northern border of Downtown Los Angeles.

Video footage from the arrest posted on social media shows masked agents pulling Martinez out of the passenger side of the Tesla by her feet and arms while she screams.

In another video clip, an agent is seen pinning Martinez down to the ground with their leg.

While agents attempted to arrest Martinez, Nunez allegedly “began pressing the passenger side door of Martinez’s vehicle on a federal agent," according to a sworn affidavit filed with a federal criminal complaint.

While attempting to arrest Martinez, federal agents reportedly identified themselves to Nunez as police conducting immigration enforcement. They told him not to interfere with what they were doing, according to the affidavit.

“Police, get back. You’re going to get arrested,” an agent reportedly told Nunez.

Later, when another man that federal prosecutors have identified as "H.C." approached Martinez’s vehicle, Nunez allegedly jumped into his tow truck and towed one of the government vehicles that was being used to box in Martinez’s Tesla.

While an agent chased after Nunez, he laughed at them and recorded the agent with his cell phone, as he drove towards Temple Street with the vehicle's keys and a firearm located in a safe still in the car, prosecutors allege.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) used TikTok videos and social media posts to track down Nunez and confirm his identity, according to the complaint.

A day after the incident, HSI agents located a tow truck that looked like the tow truck from the day before, parked in the Da Vinci Apartment complex parking garage with no license plates and a card covering the truck’s vehicle identification number (VIN). The truck had a sign on the rear driver's side panel reading: “ITRA Towing,” a business located in the city. 

Using DMV records, a California Secretary of State business database, and “law enforcement records,” agents connected the truck and towing company to Nunez, and Nunez to an “associated address at the Da Vinci Apartments.”

“How it started vs. How it’s going,” acting U.S. Attorney Bill Assayli wrote on X after Nunez’s arrest was announced.

“ARRESTED: Bobby Nunez is now under arrest for brazenly towing an ICE vehicle. He is charged with theft of government property,” the 39-year-old Trump appointee continued. “Apparently, he thought it would be funny to interfere with our immigration enforcement operations. Now he can laugh behind bars while he faces justice.”

Nunez faces up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted, according to the United States Attorney’s Office.