Los Angeles Briefs: No Contest Plea in in 2021 Carson Warehouse Fire and $2 M. Federal Investment Transforms Crisis Response in L.A.

Virgin Scent Executives and Company Plead No Contest to Criminal Environmental Charges in 2021 Carson Warehouse Fire

LOS ANGELES —Three executives of Virgin Scent and the company were sentenced July 31 after pleading no contest to one felony and four misdemeanor environmental crimes. The crimes stemmed from the improper storage of alcohol-based hand sanitizers that sparked a massive fire at the business’ Carson warehouse in 2021 and the subsequent illegal discharge of hazardous waste into the municipal storm drain system.

The Virgin Scent corporation and executives Yaakov Nourollah (dob 3/13/86) of Los Angeles, Akiva Nourollah (dob 2/10/89) of Los Angeles and Yehuda Nourollah (dob 9/30/87) of Los Angeles each pleaded no contest to one felony count of disposal of hazardous materials and one misdemeanor count of reckless storage of hazardous materials before and including the day of the Sept. 30, 2021, fire. The hearing took place today in Department H of the Compton Courthouse in case TA157794.

All defendants also pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count each of unlawfully depositing hazardous materials, violating the Clean Water Act and failing to report the discharge of hazardous materials following the fire.

The defendants were placed on two years of formal supervised probation. They were sentenced to one year in county jail, suspended, and ordered to complete 75 hours each of community labor. Restitution to victims will be determined at a future hearing.

$2 Million Federal Investment to Expand CIRCLE Program Transforms Community-Led Crisis Response in L.A.

LOS ANGELES – Mayor Bass was July 31 joined Rep. Luz Rivas, Councilmember Imelda Padilla, and community safety leaders announced more than $2 million in federal funding to support L.A.’s Crisis and Incident Response through Community-Led Engagement or CIRCLE Program. CIRCLE is led through Mayor Bass’ Office of Community Safety, which she created to advance a comprehensive approach to preventing crime by addressing the social and economic conditions that impact community safety.

Mayor Bass has expanded the CIRCLE Program to more neighborhoods across Los Angeles, including downtown L.A., Central Hollywood, South Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, Westside communities, and the Harbor Area. The more than $2 million in federal funding will facilitate the hiring of additional health care professionals for emergency response and support the continued expansion of the program.

The CIRCLE program is a proven, 24/7 crisis response model that connects Angelenos experiencing mental health challenges or a moment of crisis with trained mental health professionals and peer support specialists. The focus is on providing the right response, at the right time, without relying on law enforcement for non-violent situations.