A convicted murderer who federal authorities say was on the Los Angeles city payroll as a “Peace Ambassador” was arrested Friday on a federal criminal complaint for illegally possessing body armor.
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The Daily Caller reports that Michael Angel Alvarez, nicknamed “Diablo,” was arrested Friday and charged with possession of body armor by a violent felon.
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release, Alvarez is a convicted gang murderer who claims to work for Healing Urban Barrios, an organization that contracted with the city for its Peace Ambassador program in the city’s Council District 1.
🚨Federal Agent’s arrest a @MayorOfLA “Peace Ambassador” known as “Diablo” for packing illegal military-grade body armor, guns.
Michael Angel Alvarez a.k.a. “Diablo,” is an active 18th Street gang member & convicted murderer—paid $58K with L.A. taxpayer dollars. pic.twitter.com/sp4wjwBNhL
— Dapper Detective (@Dapper_Det) May 31, 2026
KTLA reports that the Peace Ambassador strategy is described by the city as a violence prevention program staffed by “two unarmed workers who have lived experience in the justice or gang systems and are trained in violence prevention and trauma-informed care.”
According to the Daily Caller, the DOJ released an image of paperwork purportedly showing Alvarez’s Peace Ambassador title.
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The DOJ alleges that Alvarez made $58,156 from Healing Urban Barrios in 2025 after Los Angeles allocated $450,000 toward the group’s services for a three-year period.
Alvarez’s criminal history includes a 2002 conviction for first-degree murder for which he was sentenced to 50 years to life in state prison, but was released after serving 24 years’ imprisonment, and an April 2025 felony conviction for being a prisoner in possession of a weapon.
In a statement posted to X, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli criticized the city-funded program, saying “the hardworking tax payers of Los Angeles deserve better than to see their money shelled out to a convicted gang murderer.”
MacArthur Park Update
This morning, @FBILosAngeles arrested Michael Angel Alvarez, 41, a.k.a. “Diablo,” an active 18th Street gang member, convicted murderer, and Los Angeles “Peace Ambassador” who is being paid with L.A. city taxpayer dollars.
According to Councilwoman… pic.twitter.com/zXMMoItNIq
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) May 29, 2026
KTLA reports that federal agents said officers encountered Alvarez on May 18 near MacArthur Park while responding to a stolen vehicle investigation and discovered two body armor plates in the trunk when officers searched his vehicle due to his probation conditions.
If convicted, Alvarez would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
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