Nine more people have been charged with crimes ranging from arson and looting to impersonating a firefighter in the recent devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the new charges Friday.
“If you believe this disaster can be used as a cover for criminal activity, let this be your warning. You will be caught and held accountable,” Hochman said in a news release.
Those indicted include Luis Felipe Gudino, 28, who was charged with felony arson for setting a couch in the back of Southgate’s apartment on fire on January 13. There is. The fire spread to utility poles and caused significant damage. Mr. Gudino is being held on $350,000 bail and could face up to seven years in prison if convicted.
Another defendant, Richard Alexander Peterson, 36, is accused of setting fire to a Christmas tree outside the Southgate Motel on the same day. Peterson is a third-time offender and faces 25 years in prison, with the possibility of life in prison, and his bail is set at $1.35 million.
A video shared by the Los Angeles County Attorney’s Office shows robbers ransacking a home in Los Angeles’ Palisades fire evacuation zone. January 2025 (LA County Attorney’s Office)
Omar Lopez, 35, is accused of starting two fires in Huntington Park on January 14, including one involving a Christmas tree in an apartment courtyard. He maintains his innocence and could face nearly nine years in prison if convicted.
Additional cases include Manuel Rodriguez, 35, who is accused of starting a dumpster fire behind the Brentwood Library. Travis Grodd, 34, was charged with multiple counts of arson in Hawthorne. Leopoldo Reveles, 49, is accused of setting trash on fire near the railroad tracks in Compton.
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The charges include crimes other than arson. Keishon Walker, 22, is charged with illegally possessing ammunition and paraphernalia in an evacuation zone. Joshua Love, 29, of Santa Monica, is charged with attempted robbery and larceny. Ivan Cedric Reed, 34, is accused of impersonating a firefighter while possessing stolen property in Malibu.
These cases are investigated by local police and bail amounts range from $45,000 to more than $1 million. A preliminary hearing for the defendants is scheduled for later this month.
This is the latest charge brought against individuals found within evacuation zones where mass destruction occurred during the Palisades and Eaton fires.
Dozens of people were arrested on suspicion of violating evacuation orders, including some who were charged with theft.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and local authorities have vowed to arrest and prosecute looters and others who took advantage of the deadly fires to the fullest extent of the law.
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