More Than 60 People Charged With Looting, Other Crimes During Protests

Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced today that 61 people have been charged with crimes committed during protests in Los Angeles County over the past several days.

“I support the peaceful organized protests that already have brought needed attention to racial inequality throughout our society, including in the criminal justice system,” District Attorney Lacey said. “I also have a constitutional and ethical duty to protect the public and prosecute people who loot and vandalize our community.”

A majority of the charges filed over the past two days have been for looting. Other charges include assault and/or battery upon a peace officer, robbery, burglary, possession of a destructive device, identity theft and receiving stolen property.

Felony looting carries a possible maximum sentence of three years in county jail.

Additional cases are expected to be presented this week by various law enforcement agencies for filing consideration. In some instances, people who were arrested over the past several days were cited and released. Those cases have not yet been presented.

In downtown Los Angeles, 11 people were charged with felonies, including looting, robbery and assault upon a peace officer.

Seventeen people were charged at the Airport Branch Court, which covers some of the western portions of Los Angeles County, including Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. The charges include felony looting, burglary and identity theft as well as misdemeanor looting and burglary.

Fifteen people were charged with felony looting, fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s vehicle or attempted looting in Compton, while three people were charged with felony looting in Long Beach.