A man is accused of arson and a group From thieves Homes in evacuation zones have been charged with targeting homes amid raging wildfires in Los Angeles County, officials said Monday.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said during a press conference that charges were brought against a group of people accused of looting residences in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas, while arson charges were brought against a man in Azusa.
“These are people who seek to exploit this tragedy for their own gain,” Hochman said. “These are people who engaged in looting and arson. We have also investigated price gouging and will investigate online fraud and the like.”
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Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman talks about the re-sentencing of Eric and Lyle Menendez for the murder of their parents decades ago during a news conference in downtown Los Angeles, Friday, January 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Damien Dovarganes)
Three of the suspects, Martrelle Peoples, Damari Bell and Travon Coleman, committed home burglaries in Mandeville Canyon with more than $200,000 worth of merchandise hours after the fires started, Hochman said. He added that they were spotted by a Ring camera inside a house.
They were eventually linked to an apartment in Koreatown, where they were arrested. Officials added that a number of stolen items were found in the house.
Peoples, who has suffered two previous strikes, faces a third strike, meaning he is looking at a possible life sentence under California's three strikes law, authorities said. Bell faces 22 years in prison.
Others charged also include Rudy Salazar and Lucia Gilrara Perez, who face two counts of first-degree residential burglary in connection with the Jan. 8 looting in Altadena as the Eaton Fire broke out. The couple allegedly entered two homes and were arrested entering a third home.
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Screenshot of the suspects looting a Pacific Palisades home. (Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office)
A third group of alleged thieves robbed a house In AltadenaIncluding an Emmy Award, which was recovered, authorities said. They have been identified as Roy Sims, Ryan Sims-Cowan, Naquan Dewey Reddix, and Perry O'Bannon.
“In the Palisades area and the fires that we had in L.A., isn't that bad enough, we have 40,000 people potentially evacuated from an area, and then we have a bunch of people who want to go up and down the road,” said Blake Chow, assistant chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. They do everything they can to catch them.” “It's not enough for them to worry about their property and rebuilding it and things like that.”
The arson suspect, Jose Carranza Escobar, is accused of trying to set fire to a large tree that fell to the ground in Pioneer Park. Police said at the time of his arrest that he was seen “standing next to the flames” and was immediately arrested.
“During the investigation, Carranza admitted to starting the fire and was arrested for arson,” a police statement said.
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Azusa police have arrested 39-year-old homeless arson suspect Jose Carranza Escobar, steps away from a small fire they say he admitted to setting as Los Angeles battles several large wildfires. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
Escobar faces nine years in prison and is expected to be arraigned on Monday.
Authorities have warned potential criminals not to target vacated homes. In Santa Monica, authorities have arrested at least 10 burglary suspects since the Palisades fire began last week.
Looting at Altadena house during fires. (Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office)
Six was Burglary tools One couple had the Watch Duty app open on their phone to track evacuation zones, sources told Fox News. The Santa Monica Police Department said officers were able to stop the robberies before they happened.
Overall, Santa Monica police made 39 arrests in evacuation zones. None of the suspects live in the city.
(L-R) Joshua Kalil Love, Miguel Angel Dorantes, Gabriel Aceh Stokes, and Dominic Pachicomanga were four of 10 suspects charged with burglary inside the Palisades Fire evacuation zones in Santa Monica. (Santa Monica Police Department)
Those who were not charged with attempted robbery were arrested for curfew violations, drug possession, search warrants, and probation violations. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has arrested 34 people since the fires began. Sheriff Robert Luna he said Monday in a separate news conference.
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“This is a strong message from all of us, that we are here and when we arrest people, we mean business,” he said. “If you don't have any legitimate business in these areas, stay out because our deputies are stopping people in a constitutional manner, and I might add, they are asking people questions.”
He added: “We bring drugs. We bring people with weapons. And guess what? None of them live in these areas.”
