LOS ANGELES — As wildfires continue to devastate the Los Angeles area, local and federal law enforcement agencies have launched the Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force to combat wildfire-related crimes, NBC4 Los Angeles reported.
“We will not permit victims to be re-victimized,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “Our community has suffered tremendously, and we are here to support them.”
Since the fires ignited, authorities have arrested more than 50 individuals, nine of whom face formal charges, according to the report. Crimes include looting and impersonation offenses, as well as curfew violations.
Fraud schemes have also become a major concern, targeting both displaced residents and charitable donors, according to the report. Investigations are underway into price gouging, contractor scams and abuse of federal disaster relief programs such as FEMA and the Small Business Administration.
Illegal drone activity has further complicated firefighting efforts, including an incident in which a drone collided with a firefighting plane, grounding it for days. Flying drones in restricted airspace is a federal crime punishable by up to one year in prison and fines as high as $75,000, according to the report.
The task force unites the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, the LAPD and LASD. Their shared goal is to protect vulnerable communities and hold offenders accountable.
