Monday, April 20, 2026

Two Men Charged With Unlicensed Contracting in Altadena’s Eaton Fire Zone Back in Court Monday

Pasadena Courthouse, Dept. H | Monday, April 20, 2026

A preliminary hearing date is scheduled to be set Monday for Edgar Geovanni Lopez Revolorio and Guillermo Ramirez, two of five men charged with felony counts of working as unlicensed contractors in the Eaton Fire disaster zone in Altadena.

The proceeding is set for Dept. H at the Pasadena Courthouse, 300 E. Walnut St.

Lopez Revolorio, 42, of Arleta, and Ramirez, 54, of Pomona, each face one felony count of contracting without a license during a state of emergency, a violation of California Business and Professions Code Section 7028.16. The statute makes it a felony to perform or offer contractor services on structures damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster for which the governor has declared a state of emergency.

Ramirez faces the more serious potential consequences of the two defendants. In addition to the contracting charge, prosecutors allege he has two prior felony convictions, including a strike prior. He faces a maximum sentence of six years in state prison if convicted, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Both men pleaded not guilty at their arraignments in December 2025 and were released on their own recognizance, according to the DA’s office. The court ordered both defendants not to contract or advertise construction services without a valid license from the California Contractors State License Board.

Their cases were originally set for a preliminary hearing setting on Feb. 2, 2026, in Department D of the Pasadena Courthouse, according to a December 11, 2025, press release from the DA’s office. The cases now appear on the court calendar for Monday in a different courtroom, Dept. H.

Background

The charges stem from an undercover operation conducted by the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation in collaboration with the California Contractors State License Board. The DA’s Consumer Protection Division filed felony charges on Dec. 4, 2025, against five men accused of offering unlicensed contracting services to Altadena residents rebuilding after the Eaton Fire.

Lopez Revolorio allegedly contracted without a license in the Eaton Fire disaster zone on Oct. 8, 2025, according to the DA’s office. His case number is 25PDCF00864. Ramirez allegedly contracted without a license in the same zone on the same date. His case number is 25PDCF00863.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents unincorporated Altadena, announced the charges at a Dec. 11, 2025, news conference held at a fire-destroyed property in Altadena.

“My office is cracking down on criminal contractors who prey on residents who have already lost so much and cannot afford to lose more,” Hochman said at the news conference, according to a press release from the DA’s office.

In the same press release, Barger said: “Rebuilding after the Eaton Fire is hard enough, and no survivor should also have to fear being exploited by unlicensed or unscrupulous contractors.”

The cases are being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Alice Kurs and remain under investigation by the Contractors State License Board, according to the DA’s office.

The Other Three Defendants

Three other men were charged in the same operation. Melvin Hairon Mejia Ordonez, 41, of Los Angeles, faces one felony count and pleaded not guilty at his December 2025 arraignment, according to the DA’s office. His preliminary hearing setting was also originally scheduled for Feb. 2, 2026.

Andrew Escarzaga, 27, and Daniel Escarzaga, 28, both of Chino, were charged jointly in case 25PDCF00866. Their arraignment was set for Jan. 8, 2026, at the Pasadena Courthouse, according to the DA’s press release. Ordonez’s case number is 25PDCF00865.

Under Section 7028.16, the base charge of unlicensed contracting during a declared natural disaster carries penalties of up to three years in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

The Altadena Connection

The Eaton Fire ignited on Jan. 7, 2025, and destroyed more than 9,400 structures across Altadena, killing 19 people. More than a year later, the community remains in the early stages of recovery. Over half of property owners who sustained significant damage had not yet submitted permit applications as of early 2026, according to the rebuilding data tracker published by Catalyst California.

The DA’s office warned at the time of the charges that unlicensed contractors can expose homeowners to faulty workmanship, liability for worker injuries, and potential theft. Hochman noted in the December 2025 news conference that because unlicensed contractors carry no insurance, property owners who hire them have no recourse if work goes wrong, according to NBC Los Angeles.

Supervisor Barger’s office said it would compile a list of licensed contractors working in the Eaton Fire area as a resource for survivors. The Contractors State License Board maintains a license-verification tool on its website at cslb.ca.gov where residents can check whether a contractor holds a valid license.

What Is a Preliminary Hearing?

A preliminary hearing is a proceeding in California criminal cases at which a judge reviews the available evidence and determines whether probable cause exists to hold the defendant for trial. If the judge finds probable cause, the case advances to trial. If not, the charges may be dismissed or reduced.

Monday’s proceeding is a hearing to set the date for that preliminary hearing.

The Pasadena Courthouse is located at 300 E. Walnut St., Pasadena, CA 91101. The Northeast District of the Los Angeles County Superior Court has jurisdiction over cases originating in Pasadena, Altadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, and Sierra Madre.