MALIBU—On Friday, January 24, the LA District’s Attorney’s Office disclosed that Dustin and Jennifer Nehl, a couple from the state of Oregon, have been charged with impersonating firefighters during the Los Angeles County wildfires this month.
On January 22, after arraignment, Dustin Lee Nehl, 31, and Jennifer Nehl, 44, were charged in case 25VWCM00317 with one misdemeanor count each of fraudulent impersonation of a specific fire personnel, unauthorized activities with respect to badges or related matter, false representation.
The court granted Jennifer to be released on her own recognizance (OR) as she has no criminal history. The court denied OR for Dustin and set his bail at $30,000. Both defendants are scheduled for pretrial on February 11 in Dept. G of the Van Nuys West Courthouse.
On January 18, at approximately 9 a.m., deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detained a fire engine attempting to gain entry into an unauthorized evacuation zone at 22520 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. Both defendants were allegedly wearing fake firefighter gear. They were taken into custody. If convicted as charged, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 180 days in county jail.
The case is being prosecuted by LADA’s Van Nuys Branch and Area Office and investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has noted that a total of 25 individuals have been charged in wildfire-relates cases as of January 24. To learn more about these cases visit https://da.lacounty.gov/.
By Trevor