8 more suspects charged with arson, looting crimes in connection with L.A. fires
Eight more people have been charged with various crimes committed during recent devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County, ranging from arson and looting to impersonating a firefighter.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the new charges on Friday.
“To anyone who believes they can use this disaster as a cover for criminal activity, let this be your warning: You will be caught, and you will be held accountable,” Hochman said in a news release.
Among those charged is Luis Felipe Gudino, 28, accused of felony arson for allegedly igniting a couch behind a South Gate apartment building on Jan. 13. The fire spread to a utility pole, causing significant damage. Gudino, who is being held on $350,000 bail, faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.
Another defendant, Richard Alexander Peterson, 36, is accused of setting fire to a Christmas tree outside a South Gate motel the same day. Peterson, a third-strike offender, faces 25 years to life in prison and is being held on $1.35 million bail.
Omar Lopez, 35, allegedly ignited two fires in Huntington Park on Jan. 14, including one involving a Christmas tree in an apartment courtyard. He has pleaded not guilty and could face nearly nine years in prison if convicted.
Additional cases include Manuel Rodriguez, 35, accused of starting a dumpster fire behind a Brentwood library; Travis Glodt, 34, charged with multiple arsons in Hawthorne; and Leopoldo Reveles, 49, accused of setting trash fires near train tracks in Compton.
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Charges also include non-arson crimes. Keyshon Walker, 22, is accused of unlawful possession of ammunition and tools in an evacuation zone. Joshua Love, 29, faces charges for attempted burglary and looting in Santa Monica. Ivan Cedric Reed, 34, is accused of impersonating a firefighter in Malibu while possessing stolen property.
The cases were investigated by local police departments, with bail amounts ranging from $45,000 to over $1 million. Preliminary hearings for the defendants are scheduled throughout the month.
It’s the latest round of charges filed against individuals who have been found inside evacuation zones where the Palisades and Eaton fires left mass destruction in their wakes.
Dozens of people have been arrested for allegedly violating evacuation orders, including many who have been charged with burglary.
Hochman, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and local authorities have vowed to arrest and prosecute looters and others taking advantage of the deadly fires to the fullest extent of the law.
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