A joint task force of local and federal law enforcement agencies has been established to investigate and prosecute a range of criminal activities arising from deadly and destructive wildfires. The task force, known as the Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force, includes representatives from agencies such as the FBI, ATF, and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Their focus extends beyond arson and burglary to encompass financial fraud targeting disaster victims and donors, impersonation of officials, and illegal drone activity that hinders firefighting efforts. The task force will collaborate on sharing intelligence and investigating leads related to these crimes.
Embers are blown off a burning tree as the Eaton Fire burns in Altadena, Calif., Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury, File)Leaders from local and federal law enforcement agencies have formed a task force to investigate and prosecute arson, burglary, fraud, illegal drone activity and other crimes committed where deadly and destructive wildfires occur. The Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force includes officials from the U.S.
Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles Police Department. Members will also focus on impersonation of officials, and frauds targeting disaster victims and donors to charitable organizations. They will meet to talk about case leads and share crime intelligence. “Every crisis generates the best of us – brave first responders and average people who step up financially to support victims,” Akil Davis, a FBI assistant director, said in a statement, “as well as the worst in our society, including those who steal well-intentioned money or defraud victims who are already suffering.” So far, more than 50 people have been arrested on suspicion of burglary, robbery, grand theft, curfew violation, impersonating a firefighter or law enforcement officer or other crime related to the Palisades fire, the Eaton fire or another current or recent L.A. County wildfire. Nine people with looting and one with arson so far. They face maximum sentences of six years to life in prison.The ATF’s National Response Team is also investigating the causes of the recent wildfires, deploying such experts as certified fire investigators, chemists and electrical engineers and also using accelerant-detection canines and a fire-research laboratory. Until Jan. 25, the areas around and above the Palisades and Eaton fires remain under a temporary flight restriction. The FBI has deployed equipment to detect any drone flying in these areas, which can prevent firefighting aircraft from working safely.The public can report wrongdoing to a local law enforcement agency or at 1-800-CALL-FBI. They can also report financial fraud to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721
Wildfires Arson Burglary Fraud Drone Activity Task Force Law Enforcement Disaster Victims
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