News Releases

Dustin and Jennifer Nehl are charged with impersonating firefighters during the LA wildfires

MALIBU, CA – Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced today that Dustin and Jennifer Nehl, a couple from the state of Oregon, are charged with impersonating firefighters during the Los Angeles County wildfires this month.

“Impersonating first responders endangers the safety of our community and the well-being of those who choose to engage in such reckless behavior, especially during a state of emergency,” said District Attorney Hochman. “These types of actions can have dire consequences and mislead the public into trusting an unqualified person with responsibilities they are not equipped to handle. While we certainly appreciate the desire to help those who are suffering from the wildfires, we cannot emphasize enough that you need to comply with the law to avoid interfering with law enforcement and first responders, who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe during these emergencies.”

On January 22, after arraignment, Dustin Lee Nehl (DOB 3/4/93) and Jennifer Nehl (DOB 3/25/80) were charged in case 25VWCM00317 with one misdemeanor count  each of fraudulent impersonation of a specific fire personnel, unauthorized activities with respect to badges or related matter, false representation.

The court granted Jennifer Nehl to be released on her own recognizance (OR) as she has no criminal history.

The court denied OR for Dustin Nehl and set his bail at $30,000.

Both defendants are scheduled for pretrial on February 11 in Dept. G of the Van Nuys West Courthouse.

On January 18, at approximately 9 a.m., Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies detained a fire engine attempting to gain entry into an unauthorized evacuation zone at 22520 Pacific Coast Highway in the city of Malibu. Both defendants were allegedly wearing fake firefighter gear. They were then taken into custody. 

If convicted as charged, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 180 days in county jail.

The case is being prosecuted by LADA’s Van Nuys Branch and Area Office and investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The total number of individuals charged in wildfire-related cases is 25 as of January 24. Visit https://da.lacounty.gov/ to read the office’s news releases on these cases.

The charges filed in this case are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Photos provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department:

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