Los Angeles – Today, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto announced that her office has filed criminal charges against two defendants for allegedly violating the California Emergency Services Act in relation to the wildfire curfew for the Pacific Palisades. Enacted by Los Angeles County, the Curfew Order for January 2025 Windstorm and Critical Fire Events seeks to counter crime and looting by prohibiting anyone from being on a public street in any “Evacuation Order Zone” or “Evacuation Warning Zone” within the cities of Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and Malibu, and Unincorporated areas of LA County, between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Defendants face fines of up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both.
“This curfew order was enacted to protect public safety, prevent looting and burglaries, and enable our first responders to continue their herculean task of protecting our city and its residents. My office will hold accountable anyone who violates this order,” said Hydee Feldstein Soto, Los Angeles City Attorney. “I am committed to leveraging every resource at our disposal to help Los Angeles heal, recover, and rebuild, which is what we have always done as Angelenos.”
According to the charges, defendants Ethan Matthew Hayes and Christopher John Devcich were walking the streets in the Pacific Palisades at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in violation of the curfew order that was enacted on Thursday, Jan. 9., 2025.
City Attorney Feldstein Soto is also investigating wildfire-related complaints alleging violations of California’s price gouging law, Penal Code Section 396. It took effect immediately upon the state of emergency declaration and prohibits increasing the price on housing (including rental housing), shelter, food, water, clothing, pet care, health care or any other essential goods and services by more than 10%.
Violations of the price gouging statute are subject to criminal prosecution and punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. Violations are also subject to civil enforcement actions by my office to include civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation, injunctive relief and mandatory restitution.
Feldstein Soto encourages Angelenos who have been victimized or who suspect price gouging to report it to her office - att.pricegougingtaskforce@lacity.org.
In addition, Feldstein Soto’s office is participating in the newly formed Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force, which includes representatives of the US Attorney’s Office; the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; the LA District Attorney’s Office; LAPD; and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The goal of this multi-jurisdictional collaboration is to investigate and prosecute wildfire-related crimes.
The People of the State of California vs. Ethan Matthew Hayes
The People of the State of California vs. Christopher John Devcich
Visit the LA City Emergency Management Department for the latest information, including assistance for individuals, families, businesses, workers and property owners: https://emergency.lacity.gov/recovery
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Hydee Feldstein Soto is the 43rd Los Angeles City Attorney, elected in November 2022 and sworn into office in December 2022. Her team of nearly 1,000 legal professionals, including 500+ attorneys, carries out legal work for the City of Los Angeles at her direction and under her supervision. She is the first female City Attorney in L.A. history.