A 20-year-old U.S. citizen is speaking out from his home Wednesday after being detained by federal agents at a Los Angeles-area shopping mall and spending three nights in jail. Adrian Martinez was arrested June 19 by federal agents during an immigration enforcement operation at a Walmart parking lot at the Pico Rivera Towne Center. Martinez, a Walmart employee, says he was on his break when he saw a maintenance man who needed help. "Of course, I just felt bad because the man is, you know older, and he looked scared," said Martinez. "I just pull my car to the side and continue saying like, 'That’s not right, what are you guys doing? Leave that poor man alone. He’s not doing anything wrong, he’s just a hard worker.'" Surveillance cameras captured the entire incident as federal agents drove through the Pico Rivera Towne Center and chased down the maintenance man. The video then shows Martinez moving the maintenance man’s cart in front of the federal agent's truck as they tried to pull it off. "All I remember them saying is get him and I look and the man pushes me and then he knocks me on the floor and then from there I just remember what’s in front of me. People grabbing me, pushing me on the floor," said Martinez, recalling the event. "All I remember from that point, to get me in the van, is yanking on the back on my neck." Martinez says the agents instructed him to be quiet after asking to call his mother. U.S. & World After Martinez’s arrest, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said the 20-year-old punched a Border Patrol officer in the face. But no assault charges were filed. Many people remain scared and angry over immigration agents in their communities. Lauren Coronado reports for the NBC4 News at 6 a.m. on June 18, 2025. "Mr. Martinez was interfering with those operations," said Essayli. "It is against federal law to impede their investigations or to get in their way. If you do that, you will be arrested and you will be charged with a federal crime. If you assault an officer, you will be arrested and you will be charged with a federal crime. Don't do it. " After spending three days in a downtown Los Angeles jail, Martinez is now facing federal charges for conspiracy to impede a federal officer. "I would do it again because all I was doing was sticking up for someone who couldn’t talk for himself," said Martinez. "The fact that they are going for hard workers, people who are just working, trying to make a living, I don’t think that’s right."