LA County Prosecutors Have Filed Felony Charges of Burglary and Attempted Arson
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced that two additional individuals have been charged with crimes linked to the ongoing wildfires, bringing the total number of fire-related cases to 25. The latest charges include felony counts of first-degree residential burglary and attempted arson in Santa Monica and Brentwood.
“As I have stated from the beginning of this wildfire crisis, for those who commit crimes from looting to arson to impersonation of firefighters to price gouging to financial scams, justice will be swift and significant,” Hochman said in a statement. “You will be arrested, prosecuted, and punished to the full extent of the law. Targeting victims of these fires at their lowest moment is despicable and shameful, and this office will do everything in its power to support the victims and bring their victimizers to justice.”
Ivan Ruiz, 34, of Moreno Valley, has been charged with one count of felony first-degree residential burglary and one count of felony looting during an emergency. Prosecutors allege that Ruiz acted with “planning, sophistication, and professionalism” and that he has prior convictions, including time served in prison and county jail.
Ruiz was arraigned on January 22, pleading not guilty. He is being held on $100,000 bail, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 7 in Department 31 of the Airport Courthouse. If convicted, he faces up to six years in prison.
Prosecutors say that on Jan. 20, around 3:45 p.m., Ruiz broke into a detached garage with an occupied living space above it on the 100 block of Mabery Road in Santa Monica. The property was in an evacuation zone during the state of emergency, and Ruiz was accused of stealing items from the premises.
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the case.
Christopher Reimers, 53, of Los Angeles, has been charged with one felony count of attempted arson. Prosecutors cite aggravating factors, including prior convictions and previous time served in jail or prison.
Reimers pleaded not guilty during his January 22 arraignment and is being held on $75,000 bail. A hearing regarding his mental competency under Penal Code section 1368 is scheduled in Department 30 of the Airport Courthouse. If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison.
Authorities allege that on January 18, at approximately 1:45 p.m., Reimers used a butane torch to ignite a brown bag filled with plastic and paper. He then covered the burning bag with a flannel shirt and placed it beneath a USPS mailbox at the intersection of San Vicente Boulevard and Montana Avenue in Brentwood.
The case is also being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.
