South LA tow truck driver found not guilty of stealing immigration agent's car during arrest

A jury on Friday found a 33-year-old tow truck driver from South Los Angeles not guilty of stealing a federal agent's SUV during an immigration arrest in August. 

The Department of Justice charged Bobby Nunez, 33, with theft of government property for the incident, which carried a possible sentence of 10 years in federal prison. After a four-day trial, the jury deliberated for more than three hours and declared Nunez not guilty. 

Prosecutors argued that Nunez allegedly "interfered" with federal officers while they arrested a Colombian woman, whom they claimed entered the country illegally. 

While they were arresting the woman, immigration agents parked their two vehicles at the exit of an apartment complex's parking garage. The Justice Department said both vehicles had their emergency lights on. 

Agents threatened to arrest Nunez after he and another man approached the woman's car during the incident. While agents were handling the other man, Nunez got into his Dodge truck and towed one of the government vehicles away, according to the Justice Department. 

Prosecutors said federal agents left a gun and keys inside the SUV. The Justice Department accused Nunez of illegally towing the vehicle. Agents arrested him about two weeks after the incident.