Raul Quezada, Chief of Police
PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 26, 2016
Released by: Sgt. Daron Wyatt, Contact: (714) 497-5633
Subject: Suspect Arrested and Additional Victims Sought in Fraudulent Fire Inspection Scam
ANAHEIM, CA – Anaheim Police investigators arrested Brian Lee Carsten late Friday afternoon for a variety of charges stemming from a fraudulent fire inspection scam. Carsten is alleged to have falsely impersonated a fire official on at least five occasions in Anaheim, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, and Santa Ana, while charging businesses for unauthorized fire inspections. Carsten, a 36 year old resident of Newport Beach, was arrested without incident during a traffic stop in Orange. Carsten was booked for multiple counts of commercial burglary, extortion, grand theft, false impersonation of a fire official, counterfeiting an official seal and weapons violations. Carsten remains in custody at the Orange County Jail without bail.
The arrest was the culmination of a week-long joint investigation by Anaheim PD, Anaheim Fire & Rescue, Cal Fire, Huntington Beach PD, and Huntington Beach Fire Department. Investigators believe Carsten targeted businesses owned and operated by immigrants or those with limited command of the English language. They also believe there are additional cases not yet reported.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS or by email to www.occrimestoppers.org.