Brentwood Man Charged with 28 Felonies for Impersonating Firefighter, Pointing Laser at Aircraft

Steve Farzam, a Brentwood man and hospitality executive, has been charged with 28 criminal counts, including 23 felonies, for impersonating a firefighter and pointing a high-powered laser at multiple aircraft during the Los Angeles wildfires. Authorities arrested Farzam after a coordinated operation involving the LAPD's major crimes division and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, seizing an older model fire truck registered to the fake Santa Muerte Fire Department, along with other police and fire equipment, radios, fraudulent documents, and ammunition. Farzam allegedly used his impersonation to access restricted fire zones during the Palisades Fire, assault a first responder, commit government fraud, and endanger public safety over more than two years, from 2023 to May 2025. Prosecutors presented video evidence of Farzam pointing a dangerous blue laser at law enforcement and commercial aircraft, including the AIR7 news helicopter, during a February 2025 incident. If convicted, he faces nearly 24 years in prison and remains held without bail while investigations continue into potential additional victims and connections to other cases. The case highlights concerns about the audacity and danger of such impersonations amid emergency situations.