LOS ANGELES, CA – A specialized task force has been established to address a surge in crimes related to the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, officials announced Thursday. The Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force, comprising federal and local law enforcement agencies, aims to investigate and prosecute crimes stemming from the crisis, including looting, arson, drone interference, and financial fraud targeting disaster victims.
The task force’s efforts will center on four main areas:
- Looting, burglary, and impersonation offenses: More than 50 arrests for theft-related crimes have been made so far, with nine individuals already charged. Convictions could result in sentences ranging from six years to life in prison.
- Arson-related crimes: Officials stressed a zero-tolerance policy for arson, whether caused by malice or reckless behavior. Under federal arson statutes, offenders face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, with a maximum of 20 years in prison. If a death results from arson, penalties increase to a possible life sentence. California’s arson laws carry a prison term of up to nine years.
- Illegal drone activity: Drones have disrupted firefighting operations, including an incident where a drone collided with a fire suppression aircraft. Temporary flight restrictions are in place around the Palisades and Eaton fires through January 25, and the FBI has deployed equipment to detect unauthorized drones. Violators could face up to one year in prison and fines up to $75,000.
- Financial fraud: The task force will investigate scams targeting fire victims and charitable donors. Officials warned that criminals often exploit disasters by creating fraudulent donation sites or sending deceptive solicitations. Residents are urged to only donate to trusted organizations and avoid cash or wire transfer donations.
In addition, price-gouging laws have been enacted, prohibiting businesses or individuals from increasing prices on essential goods and services, including housing, food, water, and health care, by more than 10%. Violators could face up to one year in prison, fines of $10,000, and civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation.
“Generous people around the world are making donations to assist victims,” federal officials said in a statement. “Unfortunately, this creates opportunities for scams as criminals exploit disasters for their own gain. Potential donors are urged to exercise caution.”
The task force includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.
“In addition to our efforts to combat fraud, we will devote resources to the task force to investigate allegations of arson, and we will not tolerate careless and criminal drone operators who put firefighters and residents in harm’s way,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman issued a stern warning to those seeking to exploit the disaster. “We want to send a clear and unequivocal message to criminals: If you seek to commit crime during this crisis, from arson, looting, burglary, and theft to price gouging and financial scams, we will arrest you, prosecute you, and seek to punish you to the full extent of the law.”
The public is encouraged to report wildfire-related crimes to local law enforcement agencies. Tips can also be submitted to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov/home. Cases of financial fraud may be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721 or via the online form at justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.
