CSU professor charged with using tear gas on agents

A professor at Cal State Channel Islands has been charged with assaulting U.S. Border Patrol agents with a deadly or dangerous weapon — a canister of their own tear gas.

- By Ciara HARTER

JULIE LEOPO For The Times PROTESTERS confront federal agents at a Camarillo immigration raid in July.

On Wednesday, a federal grand jury indicted Jonathan Caravello, 37, of Ventura on one felony count of assault after he was arrested at a protest against an immigration raid at a Ventura County marijuana farm.

Prosecutors say that agents deployed the tear gas as a crowd control measure during the July 10 protest and that Caravello picked up a canister and lobbed it back at officers. If convicted as charged, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

The incident unfolded during a heated clash between protesters and agents at Glass House Farms' weed-growing site in Camarillo. Caravello posted $15,000 bail and was released on July 14.