California prosecutor slams mask law after doxxing arrest as ICE raid architect warns copycats

Gregory John Curcio, 68, of Santa Monica, was arrested Monday on federal charges that he doxxed an ICE attorney and urged others to “SWAT” her, prosecutors said. The Justice Department said Curcio posted the attorney’s private home address in February and encouraged others to call in false emergencies to provoke a law-enforcement response. He appeared Tuesday in a federal court in Los Angeles and was ordered jailed without bond ahead of an October arraignment. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.

The case, laid out by federal prosecutors, centers on doxxing an immigration-enforcement official and urging violence as a tactic against a target involved in federal work. Prosecutors said Curcio’s online actions were intentional and designed to intimidate the ICE attorney and her family. The Justice Department said ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility is also examining the conduct in question and monitoring for any additional threats.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, a Trump appointee who leads the Central California office, framed the arrest as a warning about the risks faced by federal agents and the need to shield their identities when necessary. Essayli, who is the first Muslim elected to the California State Assembly, asserted that Curcio’s actions illustrated why federal agents must be able to protect their identities—a point that has gained political momentum in California after the state passed a law limiting law enforcement from obscuring their faces during operations. “Why do our agents wear masks?” Essayli said in a social-media post accompanying a Justice Department statement. “We will not tolerate the harassment -- online or otherwise -- of federal law enforcement.” He added that authorities would “find and arrest those who release personal information of federal agents or their families,” noting that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

The attorney involved in the case claimed to police that she had never met Curcio, but she also said he had once lived in an apartment building owned by her mother and that she had faced harassment from him dating back to January 2024. ICE’s Office of Responsibility is formally reviewing the incident as authorities seek to determine whether Curcio’s actions crossed federal criminal lines. The case has drawn attention to ongoing tensions between free-speech concerns and the safety of federal workers online.

The arrest comes as California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the nation’s first-in-the-nation law prohibiting most law-enforcement personnel from obscuring their faces during official business. Newsom, who described California’s demographic diversity as a strength under threat, framed the move as a countermeasure to tactics seen during recent high-profile immigration-enforcement operations in Los Angeles that prompted extensive protests and national political debate. “The diversity that makes California great is under assault,” Newsom said. “It’s like a dystopian sci-fi movie. Unmarked cars, people in masks, people quite literally disappearing. No due process, no rights, no rights in a democracy where we have rights. Immigrants have rights, and we have the right to stand up and push back.”

The policy shift follows a broader national conversation about the visibility and accountability of federal agents during operations, including the so-called Operation At Large in Los Angeles led by ICE officials. The operation, which drew criticism and support across the political spectrum, has been cited by supporters as a necessary tool in immigration enforcement and by critics as a symbol of overreach. ICE Commander Gregory Bovino — a central figure associated with those operations — has warned that copycats could face swift legal consequences, reinforcing the administration’s warning against targeting immigration officers or their families.

The Department of Justice said Curcio was arrested Monday and appeared Tuesday before a federal judge in Los Angeles who ordered him jailed without bond ahead of an October arraignment. Prosecutors described the arrest as a direct action against a public official and a reminder that doxxing federal agents or employees is not a harmless crime. The case unfolds as the state and federal governments continue to navigate the delicate balance between safeguarding public safety and protecting the civil liberties and rights of individuals involved in immigration enforcement.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and prosecutors cautioned that more details will emerge as the investigation continues. The interplay of federal prosecutions, state face-covering policies, and high-profile enforcement actions will likely keep lawmakers and law-enforcement officials focused on how to deter online harassment while preserving the safety of those who serve in federal roles.