Tag: crimes

More Charged Filed Against Criminals For Wildfire-Related Crimes

January 27, 2025 ·

More people have been charged for crimes committed during wildfires that plagued Southern CA. Photo by Jessica Christian.

SANTA MONICA/BRENTWOOD—On Friday, January 24, the LADA announced more charges against individuals who committed crimes during the recent wildfires that plagued Southern California.

Two more individuals have been charged in connection with the ongoing wildfires — bringing the total number of individuals charged in fire-related cases to 25. The latest cases include felony charges of first-degree residential burglary and attempt to burn in Santa Monica and Brentwood.

Ivan Ruiz, 35, of Moreno Valley is charged with one count of felony first-degree residential burglary and one count of felony looting during an emergency or evacuation: 2nd degree burglary in case 25ARCF00131. It is further alleged that Ruiz carried out the offense with planning, sophistication, and professionalism within the California Rules of Court; has had prior convictions; and had served in prison and county jail.

On January 20, at approximately 3:45 p.m., Ruiz allegedly broke into a detached garage with living quarters above it in the 100 block of Mabery Road in Santa Monica. The property was located within an evacuation zone during a state of emergency, and Ruiz is accused of stealing items from the premises.

He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment January 22 and his preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for February 7, Dept. 31 of the Airport Courthouse. He is being held on $100,000 bail. If convicted as charged, he faces six years in prison. The case was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Christopher Reimers, 54, of Los Angeles is charged with one count of felony attempt to burn in case 25ARCF00136. He faces aggravating circumstances of increasing seriousness of prior convictions and having a prior county jail or prison term.

Reimers is being held on $75,000 bail. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on January 22 and his 1368 PC report/nonappearance is set for Dept. 30 of the Airport Courthouse. If convicted as charged, he faces three years in prison.

On January 18, at approximately 1:45 p.m., he allegedly used a butane torch to ignite a brown bag filled with plastic and paper. He allegedly placed a flannel shirt over the burning bag and positioned it beneath a USPS mailbox at the intersection of San Vicente Boulevard and Montana Avenue in Brentwood. The case was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.

The charges filed in these cases are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

By Trevor

Eight Charged With Committing Crimes During Wildfires

January 20, 2025 ·

Photo courtesy of Grant Durr.

SANTA MONICA/MALIBU—On Friday, January 17, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s announced that more individuals have been charged with crimes committed during the LA wildfires.

District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced that charges have been filed against nine additional individuals in connection with nine alleged crimes committed during LA County’s devastating wildfires. The charges encompass a range of offenses, including felony arson, felony possession of ammunition by a felon, felony looting during mandatory evacuations, and misdemeanor impersonation of a firefighter. These alleged crimes occurred across the county, including in the cities of South Gate, Brentwood, Hawthorne, Huntington Park, Compton, Santa Monica, and Malibu.

Luis Felipe Gudino, 28, is charged with one count of felony arson during a state of emergency in case 25DWCF00047. It is further alleged that the charge involved great violence, great bodily harm or threat of great bodily harm. Gudino is being held on a bail amount of $350,000. His arraignment is scheduled for today in Dept. 7 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Downey Branch. If convicted as charged, he faces seven years in prison.

On January 13, Guidino is accused of igniting a couch at the rear of an apartment building in the city of South Gate. The fire spread from the couch to a nearby utility pole and surrounding area before being extinguished by the LA County Fire Department. The utility pole was damaged and apartment building exterior was charred. The case was investigated by the South Gate Police Department.

Richard Alexander Peterson, 36, is charged with one count of felony arson during a state of emergency in case 25DWCF00046. He faces a third strike sentence on the current charge based on his prior convictions. Peterson is being held on a bail amount of $ 1,350,000. His arraignment is scheduled for today in Dept. 7 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Downey Branch. If convicted as charged, he faces 25 years to life in prison.

On January 13, at about 4:13 p.m., Peterson allegedly dragged a Christmas tree onto the sidewalk in front of a motel in the city of South Gate and ignited the tree, which burned. The case was investigated by the South Gate Police Department.

Omar Lopez, 35, is charged with two counts of felony arson during a state of emergency in case 25DWCF00044. It is further alleged that the charge involved great violence, great bodily harm or threat of great bodily harm. He is being held on a bail amount of $350,00 He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on January 15. His preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for January 29 in Dept. J of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Norwalk Branch. If convicted as charged, he faces 8 years, 8 months in prison.

On January 14, at approximately 5 p.m., Lopez is accused of lighting a dried Christmas tree on fire that was on the sidewalk in front of an apartment building at 6915 Templeton St., in the city of Huntington Park, then igniting a larger tree in a courtyard of a nearby building. The case was investigated by the Huntington Park Police Department.

Manuel Rodriguez, 36, is charged with one count of felony arson during a state of emergency and one felony count of arson of property of another in case 25ARCF00091. His case was transferred downtown to Dept. 31 of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center for a preliminary hearing setting on January 31. If convicted as charged, he faces seven years, eight months in prison.

On January 13, at approximately 12 p.m., Rodriguez is accused of starting a fire inside a dumpster behind the closed Donald Bruce Kaufman Brentwood Branch Library, 11820 San Vicente Blvd., in the city of Los Angeles. The case was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Travis Glodt, 34, is charged with three counts of felony arson of property of another in case 25ARCF00089. The defendant was arraigned, and a doubt was declared as to his competency. Proceedings were suspended and the case was sent to the mental health court for further proceedings. The People requested his bail be set at $150,000. If convicted as charged, he faces four years and four months in prison.

On January 13 at approximately 10 p.m., Goldt is accused of starting fires using a lighter along Hawthorne Boulevard in the city of Hawthorne. He allegedly started a fire to a Hawthorne city water shut off valve and vegetation at 11601 Hawthorne Blvd., gathered up trash against the wall/front door at 11939 Hawthorne Blvd. and lit it, then lighting bushes on fire next to a cement post at a store located at 11983 Hawthorne Blvd. The case was investigated by the Hawthorne Police Department.

Leopoldo Reveles, 49, is charged with two counts of felony arson of property of another in case 25CMCF00082. His bail was set at $100,000. His arraignment is scheduled for today in Dept. 12 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Compton Branch. If convicted as charged, he faces three years, eight months in prison.

On January 13, at approximately 11:15 a.m., Reveles is accused of using a blow torch to light trash on fire next to the train tracks at Carlin Avenue and Alameda Street in an evacuation zone in the city of Compton, causing a fire and damaging a fire hydrant. The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Keyshon Walker, 22, is charged with one count of felony unlawful possession of ammunition: prohibited by a prior conviction; one count of felony possession of a firearm by a felon; one count of misdemeanor possession of burglar’s tools; and one count of misdemeanor interference at scene of emergency in case 25ARCF00080. He is being held on $125,000 bail. He pleaded not guilty at arraignment and his preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for February 11 in Dept. 31 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Airport Branch.

On January 10, at approximately 3 a.m., Walker was stopped while driving in an evacuation zone. In his vehicle, officers located .357 ammunition and an AR15 magazine, along with a drone, walkie talkies, burglary tools, gloves, and a window punch tool. The case was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Joshua Love, 29, is charged with one count of felony looting during an emergency or evacuation; one count of felony attempted second-degree burglary; one count of misdemeanor possession of burglary tools; one count of felony unauthorized entry of closed disaster area; one count of misdemeanor interference at the scene of emergency; one count of misdemeanor trespass by entering and occupying; one count of misdemeanor possession of injection/ingestion device in case 25ARCF00081. It is further alleged that the defendant had previously been convicted of a serious and/or violent felony.

Love is being held on $160,000 bail. He pleaded not guilty at arraignment on January 14. His preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for Jan. 29 in Dept. 31 of the Los Angeles Superior Court, Airport Branch. If convicted as charged, he faces seven years and two months in prison.

On January 11, at approximately 10 p.m., Love is accused of attempting to burglarize an apartment complex at 416 San Vicente in the city of Santa Monica. The case was investigated by the Santa Monica Police Department.

Ivan Cedric Reed, 34, is charged with one felony count of receiving stolen property exceeding $950 in value; one misdemeanor count of impersonating a firefighter; one misdemeanor count of unlawful use of a badge; and one misdemeanor count of unauthorized entry of closed disaster area. The People have recommended a bail amount of $45,000. He is set to be arraigned January 17 in Dept. 100 of the Los Angeles Superior Court, Van Nuys Branch. If convicted as charge he faces four years state prison to be served in the county jail.

On January 14 at about 5 p.m., Reed is accused of wearing a yellow firefighter jacket and having a first responders’ radio in a mandatory evacuation area at 18343 Clifftop Way in the city of Malibu. The defendant allegedly told deputies he was a firefighter. The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

By Trevor

Suspects Charged For Crimes Committed During Wildfires

January 14, 2025 ·

Multiple suspects have been arrested for crimes committed during the Los Angeles wildfires. Photo by Emiliano Bar.

PACIFIC PALISADES—On Monday, January 13, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office disclosed that charges were filed against 10 individuals in four crimes committed during the devastating wildfires. Nine people are facing felony charges in connection to residential burglaries in the cities of Pacific Palisades and Altadena, and a separate defendant has been charged with arson for intentionally starting a fire in the city of Azusa.

The felony charges were the result of a multi-agency collaboration that underscores the strength of local, state, and federal partnerships. Law enforcement agencies, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; Los Angeles Police Department; Los Angeles County Fire Arson Unit; U.S. Attorney’s Office; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) collaborated closely with the District Attorney’s Office to bring these suspects to justice.

Martrell Peoples, 22, and Damari Bell, 21, are each charged with one count of first-degree residential burglary and looting during an emergency or evacuation: grand theft. It is further alleged that Peoples committed the offense while on state prison parole and Bell committed the offense while on felony probation. Allegations include they took property exceeding $200,000. Bell is also charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. The LADA Office recommended a $1,110,000 bail amount for Peoples and $310,000 bail for Bell. If convicted as charged, Peoples faces life in prison and Bell faces 22 years, eight months in prison.

Travon Coleman, 27, is charged with one count of felony hit-and run. It is further alleged that Coleman inflicted great bodily harm on a victim and committed the offense as a convicted felon. The People have recommended a $1,080,000 bail amount. If convicted as charged, he faces life in prison.

Between the late evening hours of January 8 and the early morning of January 9, Peoples and Bell are accused in a burglary at a residence located in the Mandeville Canyon area of Los Angeles. At approximately 2:20 p.m. on January 9, during the ongoing investigation into the earlier burglary, Coleman is accused of attempting to evade police and crashing in the intersection of Figueroa and 5th St., hitting a car and injuring the driver. After the crash, Coleman allegedly fled on foot but was ultimately detained. The case was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Jose Gerardo Escobar, 39, is charged with one count each of felony arson; arson during a state of emergency; and attempted arson. He is being held on $20,000 bail. Escobar’s arraignment is set for today in Dept. 4 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, West Covina Branch. If convicted as charged, he faces nine years in state prison.

On January 10 at approximately 11:30 p.m., Escobar is accused of attempting to light a large tree on fire that had fallen to the ground at Pioneer Park 1360 N. Dalton Avenue, Azusa. The case was investigated by the Azusa Police Department.

Rudy Salazar, 19, and Lucia Jilrara Perez, 36, are charged with two counts each of first-degree residential burglary in case 25PDCF00020. They pleaded not guilty during their arraignment on January 10. Their preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for January 29, Dept. D of the Los Angeles Superior Court, Pasadena Branch.

On January 8 at approximately 2:30 p.m., the defendants are accused of entering two homes during the Eaton fire in Altadena and stealing property. The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Roy Sims, 18; Ryan Sims, 19; Naquan Dewey Reddix, 22; and Pierie Obannon, 19, are charged with one count each of first-degree residential burglary in case 5PDCF00019. They pleaded not guilty during their arraignment on January 10. Their preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for January 28, Dept. D of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Pasadena Branch. Bail for Roy Sims and Ryan Sims has been set for $50,000 each. If convicted as charged, each faces up to six years in state prison. Reddix and Obannon have posted bail and were released.

On January 8, at approximately 5 p.m., the defendants are accused of entering a home during the Eaton fire in Altadena and stealing property. The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“These curfews are in place to protect residents and ensure public safety. Anyone who violates them will face serious consequences,” said LADA Nathan Hochman. “Our office is fully committed to getting these criminals off the streets and putting them on alert: We will not tolerate this kind of lawlessness.”

By Trevor