The former owner of a Santa Monica hotel has been charged with 28 felony counts after allegedly impersonating a high-ranking firefighter from the fictitious Santa Muerte Fire Department. 

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office wrote in a court motion that suspect Steve Farzam used the fabricated role to obtain government-issued exempt license plates, enter the Palisades Fire zone and acquire firearms reserved for law enforcement. 

The 28 criminal charges include assault with a deadly weapon, impersonating first responders, perjury and discharge of a laser at an aircraft. He's being held without bail. Farzam pleaded not guilty. If convicted as charged, he faces up to 23 years and 10 months in state prison.

"This defendant's alleged actions reflect a disturbing pattern of lawlessness and disregard for public safety," LA County District Attorney Nathan 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."

Prosecutors claimed Farzam used the Shore Hotel, which he owns and operates, as the "base of operations for several fraudulent activities," according to court documents. 

"Farzam owns and operates the Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, which served as a base of operation for several fraudulent activities, including IP addresses linked to false submissions and vehicle registrations," prosecutors wrote in court documents. 

Murphy O'Brien, a public relations firm, said Farzam "has not held any position at Shore Hotel for over five years and has no affiliation with the hotel." Account supervisor Marie Gillcrist said his brother Jon Farzam has owned the hotel for the last five years. 

On July 16, a task force consisting of local, state and federal law enforcement arrested Farzam and served a multi-location search warrant at his residences in West LA.

Investigators seized two vehicles with California-exempt license plates, radios, first responder credentials, a fire engine, ammunition, fraudulent documents related to the Santa Muerte Fire Department and light packages for police and fire vehicles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The litany of charges against Farzam stems from a months-long investigation led by the LAPD and involved numerous state and federal law enforcement agencies. 

On February 21, 2025, Farzam allegedly shined a "high-intensity blue laser beam" into the cockpits of a news helicopter, a California Highway Patrol helicopter and three passenger jets on February 21, 2025. 

The LA County District Attorney's Office said in one instance, the laser temporarily blinded the pilot of the news helicopter. In another incident, an American Airlines pilot was descending into LAX and had to duck below his cockpit panel to avoid the laser. Using footage from the news helicopter, LAPD detectives familiar with Farzam identified him as the person allegedly shining the laser at aircraft, according to the prosecutors. 

The investigation into Farzam uncovered that the 46-year-old had a lengthy criminal history of impersonating first responders, fraudulent access to government systems and unlawful firearm possession dating back nearly three decades, according to the LA County District Attorney's Office. 

Prosecutors said his earliest known instance of Farzam impersonating a police officer happened in 1999 while he was applying to become a deputy. In court records, the LA County DA said Farzam was arrested by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department for impersonating a police officer and committing perjury. However, he accepted a plea agreement for providing false information on DMV documents and giving unlawful registration, which resulted in the dismissal of the impersonation and perjury charges.

Prosecutors said LAPD officers arrested him three years later for impersonating a firefighter. While the LA City Attorney's Office filed a 19-count complaint, he was convicted of five misdemeanors in 2003. 

In 2014, the California Department of Justice investigated Farzam after he used an alias to access DMV records to run license plate and driver's license queries. 

In the same case, prosecutors said Farzam impersonated an FBI agent during a call to the City Attorney's Office to influence a driving under the influence case. Posing as a federal agent, Farzam claimed the defendant in the case was a key member of a "covert federal task force," according to court documents. 

Investigators said they seized 16 firearms, 12 radios programmed to emergency channels, 43 forged badges, a fully marked CHP Crown Victoria cruiser with emergency lights when law enforcement raided Farzam's home, business and vehicles in June 2014.

He pleaded guilty to impersonating a peace officer, possession of an assault weapon and unauthorized computer access. In 2022, the convictions were reduced to misdemeanors and expunged. 

In September 2022, Farzam allegedly began registering vehicles to the Santa Muerte Fire Department with the California DMV. A California DOJ investigation determined that at least 10 cars were registered to the fictitious agency, according to court documents.

The following year, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department arrested a Chino Hills man for allegedly posing as a fire investigator with the Santa Muerte Fire Department. Deputies arrested suspect Andrew De Boer on July 20 after he allegedly pulled over a resident. 

Between 2023 and 2024, Farzam allegedly used forged documents and police identification to purchase at least nine firearms, including several handguns reserved for law enforcement under California law. 

The most recent impersonation allegation happened during the Palisade Fire earlier this year. Between January and March, Farzam allegedly posed as a firefighter three times, according to court documents. In one instance in January, Farzam dressed in full firefighter gear to bypass a National Guard checkpoint in the restricted zone. 

LAPD detectives are asking anyone with additional information about Farzam's alleged crimes to contact the Major Crimes Division at (213) 486-7220. Outside of business hours, detectives asked people to call 1(877) 527-3247. 

Those wishing to stay anonymous should call the LA Crime Stoppers at 1(800) 222-8477 or go directly to their website  .