Photo: FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP / Getty Images
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman will join local and federal law enforcement officials Monday to announce charges against "a group of people" accused of residential looting in Pacific Palisades, as well as arson charges against a man in the city of Azusa, Hochman's office announced.
Hochman is expected to be joined for the 2 p.m. announcements at the Hall of Justice by L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna; LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell; U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada; FBI Assistant Director Akil Davis; and Jose Medina, acting special agent in charge of the L.A. field division of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Further specifics regarding the charges were not immediately available.
According to a Sunday statement from Hochman's office, the officials who will gather Monday will also discuss "the multi-agency collaborative partnerships at the forefront of combating these crimes and ensuring the safety and well-being of our communities."
Hochman last week insisted that people arrested for curfew violations or any other criminal activity relating to the wildfires ravaging the L.A. area will be prosecuted.
"These criminals need to hear ... an unmistakably clear message that if you want to ... loot, if you want to commit burglary, if you want to commit grand theft ... you will be arrested, you will be prosecuted and you will be punished to the full extent of the law," Hochman said Thursday. "These acts are despicable."
The charges to be announced Monday come three days after an overnight curfew took effect barring anyone without authorization from entering areas under mandatory evacuation orders due to the Palisades and Eaton fires.
Luna had warned that the curfew would be "strictly enforced."
It is in effect nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Anyone arrested for a curfew violation could face a misdemeanor charge carrying a fine of up to $1,000 and possible jail time, Luna said.
The curfew announcement followed news earlier last week that 20 people had been arrested for allegedly looting in the fire zones -- an act Luna called "absolutely unacceptable."
On Friday afternoon, county Assistant Sheriff Myron Johnson said that, since Thursday, 18 additional arrests had been made -- 15 in the Eaton Fire area and three in the Palisades Fire -- for violations such as drug possession, burglary and possession of burglary tools. He said a person on active parole was arrested for allegedly carrying a concealed firearm.
Luna stressed that nobody arrested for an alleged curfew violation will be cited and released.
"They're going to get booked," Luna said. "We're not screwing around with this."
He added, "You cannot be in these affected areas. If you are, you are subject to arrest. That is important. We're not doing this to inconvenience anybody. We're doing this to protect the structures, houses people have left because we ordered them to leave."
Luna said only "disaster workers" would be permitted into the affected areas. He said properly credentialed media will also be admitted into the area.
Luna said roughly 500 sheriff's department personnel have been deployed in the fire areas and were patrolling for looters, as well as engaging in traffic control and other enforcement duties.
Members of the California National Guard have also been deployed to the Eaton Fire area, with additional Guard members are expected to be deployed to the Palisades Fire area.
Luna said some could also be deployed to cities such as Santa Monica, Pasadena, Azusa and Arcadia, all of which have requested assistance from the Guard.
According to the governor's office, the Guard members "will be stationed at traffic control points to ensure the safety of the surrounding community. In addition, their support helps build capacity of local law enforcement to support their respective areas."