Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced charges against five men for allegedly working as unlicensed contractors in the Eaton Fire zone.
An investigation by the DA’s office and the California Contractors State License Board, or CSLB led to one felony count each for:
- Andrew Escarzaga, 27, and Daniel Escarzaga, 28, both of
Chino, who are set to be arraigned Jan. 8 in Pasadena; - Edgar Geovanni Lopez Revolorio, 42, of Arleta, who pleaded not
guilty Wednesday; - Guillermo Ramirez, 54, of Pomona, who pleaded not guilty Thursday
and allegedly has two prior felony convictions; - Melvin Hairon Mejia Ordonez, 41, of Los Angeles, who pleaded not
guilty Thursday.
At a news conference Thursday, Hochman and Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents Altadena and communities affected by the Eaton Fire, urged victims of the blaze to watch out for unlicensed construction contractors.
“My office is cracking down on criminal contractors who prey on residents who have already lost so much and cannot afford to lose more,” Hochman said in a statement. “I urge the communities impacted by the wildfires to stay vigilant and report unlicensed contractors who are taking advantage of this disaster and putting your safety and property at risk. This is important: You are still the victim of a crime even if you knowingly hired an unlicensed contractor and should alert authorities.”
Barger and Hochman also announced a campaign to warn contractors that they will be prosecuted for unlicensed activity in fire zones, including warning signs distributed in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Armenian in fire-impacted areas.
“Rebuilding after the Eaton Fire is hard enough, and no survivor should also have to fear being exploited by unlicensed or unscrupulous contractors,” Barger said in a statement. “I wholeheartedly appreciate District Attorney Hochman for his steadfast leadership in protecting our communities and sending a clear message that this criminal behavior will not be tolerated. As Altadena recovers, we will continue working together to safeguard residents’ safety and peace of mind.”
On Dec. 4, the District Attorney’s Office filed felony charges against five unlicensed contractors who prosecutors said were illegally operating in Altadena as residents rebuild their homes after the Eaton Fire that killed 19 people, destroyed or damaged thousands of structures and scorched over 14,000 acres.
Prosecutors said it is a felony to contract without a license to work on buildings damaged or destroyed in a natural disaster for which the governor declares a state of emergency. If convicted, penalties could be three years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
Officials urged the public to report unlicensed contracting to the state licensing board.
“CSLB is committed to its consumer protection mission as wildfire survivors recover and rebuild,” board Registrar David Fogt said in a statement. “Combatting unscrupulous contractors, protecting the public and empowering survivors with resources as they navigate the process. We encourage consumers to visit CSLB’s Disaster Help Center as their resource to verify a license or to file a complaint.”
Officials said residents seeking to rebuild or make repairs should do a license look-up before starting construction work. Licensed contractors are required to provide their state license number, follow insurance and bonding requirements, obtain all required permits and comply with safety regulations.
Information on how to check a contractor’s license, find a licensed contractor, report unlicensed contractors and file a complaint are online at cslb.ca.gov.
