Thursday, October 1, 2026
A week and a half after the arrests of several men on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest during an incident in the West End, residents demanded answers at the Feb. 1 City Council meeting, where one woman even displayed a poster filled with photos of one of the men’s bruised face.
The Long Beach Police Department has released few details about the incident on Jan. 22, when officers responded to reports of a large, rowdy group of people on West Beech Street at around 4 a.m., near Minnesota’s.
Police arrested four men, Eduardo Natal, Marlon Jones Guma, James Moriarty Jr. and Scott Fowler. The men were arraigned and pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration and other minor violations. They were released on their own recognizance.
Some of the men sustained injuries during the arrest, according to Natal’s attorney, Christopher Graziano. Natal, a 26-year-old security guard at Long Beach Medical Center, had bruises on his face, and a photo of his injuries was posted on Facebook, along with allegations of excessive force by police. Others with knowledge of the fracas said that Jones Guma, who served in the Army, and Moriarty, the son of Long Beach Republican Chairman Jim Moriarty, were also injured in the incident.
Resident Lucy Centeno, who showed city officials photos of Natal’s injuries, demanded information about the incident and asked why police did not provide details to the media and whether the men assaulted the officers involved. “I don’t know if they were provoked or what, but this is the result that one of the kids got,” Centeno said, pointing to Natal’s bruised face.
“I want answers,” she added. “The uniform is to be respected … but if the person who is wearing the uniform doesn’t give it, then the respect is gone. If you can’t say to me that the police filed assault charges against these kids, then tell me what happened. I’m entitled to know, as a resident of Long Beach.”
