The granite steps leading up to the old federal courthouse in downtown L.A. are sturdy and regal. But something disturbing dotted them Friday that I never would have expected:
Ash.
The Eaton fire 15 miles to the northeast was still raging. Downtown was eerily empty. The lunchtime sun was bright, tinting everything in a sickly golden tone.
I was there to interview U.S. Atty. E. Martin Estrada, who is expected to announce Monday that he will step down Friday as head of the Central District of California, which prosecutes federal crimes in coastal counties from San Luis Obispo to Orange.
He was supposed to make his plans public early last week. But he delayed as the most destructive wildfires in L.A. history put a sad coda on his 2½ years as Southern California’s top federal prosecutor.
Members of his team have lost homes in Pacific Palisades and Altadena. More had to evacuate. Drones messing with firefighting efforts — a federal crime — meant his prosecutors were ready to press charges if necessary. Scammers were already preying on victims — crimes that Estrada’s office prosecuted in the wake of the 2023 Monterey Park mass shooting and other local tragedies.
“If I had my druthers, I wouldn’t be leaving, especially at a time of crisis,” Estrada said from a large table at his 12th-story office. Two computer screens at a stand-up desk behind him glowed. “I don’t like leaving things undone. But I don’t really have my choice here, so I got to go.”
Even if he doesn’t resign from a job he described as a “labor of love,” his days are numbered, with Donald Trump soon assuming the presidency.
It’s customary for U.S. attorneys to tender their resignations when a new president enters office. They know the incoming commander in chief usually wants a fresh start and prefers to appoint people from his own crew. That’s why Estrada wanted to talk to me.
A Democrat and the first U.S. attorney of Guatemalan heritage, he has emphasized diversity in his office and profession and made it a point to speak in both English and Spanish during news conferences. He was the type of U.S. attorney who invited civil rights icon Dolores Huerta to speak to his team — she led them in cries of “¡Sí se puede!” — and regularly spoke to inner-city kids about the importance of people like them in positions such as his.
That mentality is anathema to the incoming Trump administration, and Estrada acknowledged that politics in Washington are more “partisan” that ever.
“There’s so much fear in the community, concern about this next administration — what may happen, what may not happen,” said the son of Guatemalan immigrants. “But it’s important for people to know that this good work will continue.”
Estrada sounded earnest, even mawkish, befitting his trim frame and boyish looks. I also know to not underestimate his insight. This is the person, after all, whose record against criminals of all stripes speaks for itself. His prosecutors won a conviction against L.A. political powerhouse Mark Ridley-Thomas on corruption charges (Ridley-Thomas is appealing) and got guilty pleas from former L.A. Councilmember Jose Huizar and former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do. Estrada praised his team for going after white supremacist gangs, fentanyl dealers, environmental polluters and other miscreants while favoring no party and no ideology.
“So I really think the work will continue, because we’ve done it and shot right down the middle,” he said.
Would the 47-year-old stay in his role if Trump asked him to?
“Yes, I would,” he responded without hesitation. “But it’s clear, based on where the politics are in D.C., that it’s not in the cards.”
Does that upset him?
“I went through different administrations, Republican and Democrat,” Estrada said. “I see what people go through. So I truly believe that the culture here is one of doing the right thing for the right reasons. My hope is that the new administration looks at what’s been going on, sees the work that’s been done and says, ‘I agree, we got to support this.’”
Any advice for his successor?
“See the work that’s been done, listen to the community and see the needs this community has. And I think that will lead you to a similar path to what I have done.”
After a few weeks off to indulge in his passions of running and cycling, Estrada plans to return to private practice, where he worked for eight years before President Biden appointed him in 2022. Before that, he was a prosecutor in the office he now leads. Going forward, he wants to focus on civil rights cases because “it’s in my blood — like, I can’t not do that.”
For now, there’s one last week of work. He teased a “big announcement” on a case that he declined to elaborate on, save for a smile.
“My philosophy has always been like running,” Estrada said. “I’ve always been a racer. Finish to the tape.”
He glanced at public affairs officer Ciaran McEvoy, who had silently looked on throughout our half-hour conversation.
“They’re going to be happy to see me go,” he said of his staff. “I was like the Energizer Bunny.”
He and McEvoy have known each other since the fourth grade at St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Costa Mesa.
“No one would ever accuse Martin of laziness,” McEvoy deadpanned, drawing a chuckle from his boss.
“We accomplished a lot,” Estrada replied. “I’d like to be there to help continue to develop some of the more junior lawyers and make sure they get on the right path. But I’m confident they’ll get there.”
I looked at all the mementos that hadn’t been put in boxes yet and asked which would best exemplify his time as U.S. attorney. He pointed to a trio of photos of him with Huerta, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas and Biden.
Estrada eventually focused on a framed letter from students at Utah Street Span School in Boyle Heights, which he’s visited for years. It featured their signatures, a smiling flower and a note of thanks and congratulations.
“That’s what matters to me — not just my personal legacy, not just what people write about me, but having a real impact in people’s lives,” he said. “I truly believe the work in this office has an impact on people’s lives.”
He brought up the Conception case. In 2019, a dive boat caught fire off Santa Cruz Island, killing 34 people in the deadliest maritime disaster in modern California history. In 2023, federal prosecutors won a conviction from a federal jury, which found boat captain Jerry Boylan guilty of gross negligence. A judge sentenced Boylan to four years in prison (he remains free on appeal).
Estrada met with the family members of the victims “over half a dozen times” and particularly remembers a mother who spoke only Spanish.
“I talked to her about the loss of her daughter so many times,” he said. “I looked to hire people who reflect the diversity of this area. And that is the kind of impact that I hope will last for many years.”
We shook hands. The sky outside seemed even smokier than before. Estrada brought up the wildfires again and how they’re coloring his last weeks in a way that makes him proud of the people he’s worked with and will leave behind.
“They’ve have really come together. They’ve told their affected colleagues, ‘Come stay with me’ or ‘What do you need?’ It’s a reminder: Our folks are not moguls,” he said. “They’re community members, like the people they serve. It’s a beautiful thing.”
Southern California’s U.S. attorney for the next five days excused himself and went back to work at his stand-up desk.
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