LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A man accused of impersonating a firefighter and pointing a laser at multiple aircraft is now being charged with 28 criminal counts, including 23 felonies.
Prosecutors said 46-year-old Steve Farzam pointed a dangerous blue laser on the night of Feb. 21 at not only AIR7, but at law enforcement and commercial aircraft too.
"This defendant's alleged actions reflect a disturbing pattern of lawlessness and disregard for public safety," Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. "Over the course of more than a year, he is accused of repeatedly putting lives at risk, from impersonating a firefighter during an active wildfire to assaulting a first responder and targeting aircraft with a laser.
The string of alleged crimes occurred between 2023 and May of this year. The charges include assaulting a first responder, discharging a laser at an aircraft, impersonation of a public officer, carrying a loaded unregistered handgun in a vehicle, among others.
Farzam allegedly posed as a firefighter during the Palisades Fire on Jan. 16, gaining access to restricted emergency zones and interfering with emergency operations.
He was arrested Wednesday after multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, responded to a home on Rockingham Avenue, near Sunset Boulevard.
He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Thursday and is currently being held without bail.
One of those incidents involved our own AIR7 helicopter.
ABC7's Chris Christi is named as a victim in the criminal complaint since he was in AIR7 the night Farzam allegedly pointed the laser at the station's helicopter.
"It was a really frightening night, because that light was so powerful and so bright, it really could've gotten us hurt," said Christi. "Our AIR7 crew was flying over West L.A. when the cockpit was filled with this blue light. Sometimes we get green laser pointers, but this was a particularly bright blue light that came off the windshield here on AIR7 and lit up the entire cockpit."
Prosecutors in court talked about video shot by AIR7 that they say showed the car Farzam was driving that night.
"That vehicle, they were able to get a license plate - that vehicle was rented to Mr. Farzam's hotel. There was a search warrant yesterday and that vehicle was found," said Deputy District Attorney David Ayvazian.
That search warrant was executed Wednesday at the Brentwood home where prosecutors say they found multiple vehicles - including a 1986 fire truck. The fire truck was towed away and its state license plate was removed.
Records show that the fire truck belongs to Santa Muerte Fire Department - a fire department that police say does not exist.
"In this particular case he is subject in a multi agency investigation that included him creating a fake fire department by trying to incorporate a fake fire department," said Ayvazian.
That 1980s fire truck was found with charred marks and ash.
"During the Palisades Fire he tried to badge his way into fire zones, which he successfully did at least three times -pretending to be an arson investigator," said Ayvazian.
Farzam tried to hide from ABC7's camera behind a beam in court Thursday- but he was front and center years ago during the pandemic.
In the ABC7 archives, we found press conferences and interviews with him during his time as a CEO for a COVID testing company.
Now a public defender is arguing why he should be granted bail.
"There is not a substantial likelihood that his release would result in great bodily harm to anyone," she said.
If convicted as charged, Farzam faces up to 23 years and 10 months in prison. His preliminary hearing is set to take place on July 28.
