**Charges Filed Against Six in L.A. Arsons Following Firestorm**
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman made a significant announcement on Friday, revealing that arson charges have been filed against six individuals in connection with a series of fires across L.A. County following the destructive Palisades and Eaton fires. Additionally, a man who pretended to be a firefighter to gain access to a Malibu evacuation zone has also been apprehended by authorities.
**The Arson Incidents**
The arsonists were responsible for igniting various items such as couches, trash, a discarded Christmas tree, and a dumpster on January 13 and 14. These incidents occurred while emergency responders were preparing to combat a dangerous wind event that posed a threat of exacerbating the existing fires, which have already caused the destruction of over 10,000 homes and resulted in at least 25 fatalities across L.A. County since January 7.
**No Connection to Larger Wildfires**
Pamela Johnson, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office, clarified that none of the arsons have been linked to the larger wildfires burning throughout the county. Hochman issued a stern warning to those contemplating criminal activity during this disaster, emphasizing that they will be apprehended and held accountable for their actions. He stressed that the residents of the county deserve safety and justice, particularly in the aftermath of such catastrophic devastation.
**The Arrests and Charges**
The incidents took place in various locations including Los Angeles, South Gate, Huntington Park, Hawthorne, and Compton. Manuel Rodriguez, 35, allegedly set a fire in a dumpster behind the Donald Bruce Kaufman Library in Brentwood on January 13. No injuries were reported in any of the arson incidents. While there has been widespread speculation regarding the causes of the recent fires, investigators have only publicly discussed the possibility of the Kenneth fire near the L.A.-Ventura County border being intentionally set. Juan Sierra, 33, has been identified as a “person of interest” in that case, but charges are yet to be filed against him.
Ivan Cedric Reed, 34, was charged with impersonating a firefighter to gain access to a Malibu evacuation zone. Reed was found by sheriff’s deputies wearing a “yellow firefighter jacket” and carrying a “first responders’ radio” on Clifftop Way in Malibu. Despite claiming to be a firefighter, Reed was arrested by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and charged with several offenses including receiving stolen property, impersonating a firefighter, unlawful use of a badge, and entering a closed disaster area.
**Ongoing Investigations and Arrests**
The surge of charges related to looting and arson is anticipated to continue, with numerous arrests made for both offenses since the firestorm erupted. Hochman initiated similar cases against nine defendants earlier in the week. Moreover, individuals disguised as firefighters were arrested for burglary in the Palisades fire evacuation zone on January 12, leading to the presentation of cases against two men for impersonating L.A. firefighters and conspiring to commit burglary in that particular incident, as revealed by Alan Hamilton, chief of detectives for the Los Angeles Police Department.