Pasadena fire captain sexually abused children for more than two decades, prosecutors allege

[ad_1] A captain with the Pasadena Fireplace Division has been charged with 9 counts of committing lewd acts with a minor beneath age 14. Prosecutors allege he sexually abused three victims over a interval spanning greater than twenty years.

Christopher James Ramstead, 47, of Thousand Oaks was arrested Wednesday and, if convicted, faces as much as 135 years to life in state jail, in keeping with the L.A. County district lawyer’s workplace. He pleaded not responsible Monday and was ordered held with out bail.

The alleged abuse of three minors befell between March 2003 and July 2025. Prosecutors consider different minors might have been harmed and are asking any further victims, or individuals with data of Ramstead’s alleged crimes, to contact the Los Angeles Police Division’s Juvenile Division at (818) 374-5415.

<img class="image" alt="A mug shot of a man with dark hair" srcset="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/876cbc9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2100x1500+0+0/resize/320x229!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff5%2F3d%2F0013fdfa404aa0c5370f51027139%2Fme-pasadena-fire-captain-charged-sexual-abuse-children-8863.JPG 320w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1b9c806/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2100x1500+0+0/resize/568x406!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff5%2F3d%2F0013fdfa404aa0c5370f51027139%2Fme-pasadena-fire-captain-charged-sexual-abuse-children-8863.JPG 568w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/94e5e77/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2100x1500+0+0/resize/768x548!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff5%2F3d%2F0013fdfa404aa0c5370f51027139%2Fme-pasadena-fire-captain-charged-sexual-abuse-children-8863.JPG 768w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ff0d8cb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2100x1500+0+0/resize/1024x731!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff5%2F3d%2F0013fdfa404aa0c5370f51027139%2Fme-pasadena-fire-captain-charged-sexual-abuse-children-8863.JPG 1024w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/379e8db/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2100x1500+0+0/resize/1200x857!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff5%2F3d%2F0013fdfa404aa0c5370f51027139%2Fme-pasadena-fire-captain-charged-sexual-abuse-children-8863.JPG 1200w" sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="857" src="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/379e8db/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2100x1500+0+0/resize/1200x857!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff5%2F3d%2F0013fdfa404aa0c5370f51027139%2Fme-pasadena-fire-captain-charged-sexual-abuse-children-8863.JPG" decoding="async" loading="lazy"/> Christopher James Ramstead of Thousand Oaks is charged with 9 felony counts of committing a lewd act upon a baby.

(Los Angeles County district lawyer’s workplace)

Ramstead is a firefighter and paramedic who was employed by the Pasadena Fireplace Division in 2005 and promoted to the rank of captain in 2016.

The town of Pasadena stated in an announcement that the alleged incidents occurred whereas Ramstead was off responsibility. He is on administrative go away whereas the investigation towards him continues.

“These allegations describe years of sexual abuse of youngsters by somebody who was repeatedly positioned in positions of belief,” L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman stated in an announcement. “The hurt alleged right here is profound, and no title, badge or uniform locations anybody above the legislation.”

Hochman inspired further victims to come back ahead and warranted the general public that his workplace would “aggressively pursue justice and stand with survivors.”