A Los Angeles "Peace Ambassador," identified as Michael Angel Alvarez, a convicted murderer and alleged active member of the 18th Street gang, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint for illegally possessing two body armor plates near MacArthur Park. Alvarez, 41, also known as "Diablo," faces charges of possession of body armor by a violent felon.
Alvarez represented himself as working for Healing Urban Barrios, an organization contracted by the City of Los Angeles for its Peace Ambassador program in Council District 1, which includes MacArthur Park. The city has appropriated $450,000 from its general fund for the program, which aims to prevent violence and support Angelenos in crisis, utilizing workers with "lived experience in the justice or gang systems." Healing Urban Barrios paid Alvarez $58,156 in 2025.
His criminal history includes a 2002 first-degree murder conviction, for which he served 24 years of a 50-years-to-life sentence, and an April 2025 felony conviction for possessing a weapon as a prisoner. Law enforcement believes Alvarez remains involved in gang activity, citing jailhouse telephone calls where he discussed assaulting individuals for breaking gang rules. Officers detained Alvarez on May 18 near MacArthur Park, leading to the discovery of "highest protection level" body armor plates in his car trunk.
If convicted, Alvarez could face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. The FBI is investigating the matter with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations, as part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative.