Police: Fake Fire Official Charged For Inspections At Immigrant OC Businesses
ANAHEIM (CBSLA.com) — A Newport Beach man faces charges of posing as a fire official and charging businesses for unauthorized inspections throughout Orange County.
Brian Lee Carsten, 36, was arrested Friday during a traffic stop in Orange on multiple counts of commercial burglary, extortion, grand theft, false impersonation of a fire official, counterfeiting an official seal and weapons violations, according to Anaheim police spokesman Sgt. Daron Wyatt.
Carsten remains in custody without bail and is scheduled to make his first court appearance Tuesday.
Anaheim police officials say Carsten has impersonated a fire official on at least five occasions in Anaheim, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Santa Ana.
Investigators believe Carsten targeted businesses owned by immigrants or those with limited English and that there may be more cases that have not yet been reported.
Anyone with information about Carsten or who believes they were a victim can call Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS.