Chef Arrested by ICE in Los Angeles

Federal immigration agents apprehended Carlos Roll, the chef behind two popular restaurants in South Los Angeles, La Granja Rotisserie and Fuego Rotisserie, over the weekend while he was out gathering supplies.

His girlfriend and business partner, Jenna Lawrence, recounted the chaotic scene. According to her, they took him out of the car, pulled her back, brandished a gun, and took him away.

“It was surreal,” Lawrence said.

Roll now faces deportation after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acted on a tip from a disgruntled former employee, who claimed there was a gun at the restaurant. Although Lawrence acknowledged the gun exists, she insisted it was kept there purely for safety. However, this possession violates Roll’s parole conditions due to prior convictions, which date back to a nearly 30-year sentence in Connecticut from 1997.

“It’s a rough neighborhood,” Lawrence noted. “We’ve been robbed before, and people are always breaking in.”

She added, “He’s been in the U.S. for so long, his children are here. This whole situation is just overwhelming. Now, he’s in custody without clothes or a phone, and we have a business to run. With this deportation looming, it feels like we’re falling deeper into trouble.”

ICE Los Angeles confirmed the arrest on social media, stating that Roll is a dangerous criminal with a history of arrests for various offenses, including assault and firearms violations. They mentioned that California’s custody policies prevented local authorities from helping in his case.

“Lulu is now awaiting deportation,” ICE noted.

The situation has sparked strong emotions and concern among those connected to Roll. It’s a troubling scenario that many, like Lawrence, find difficult to process.