As part of an ongoing investigation of a 2024 Butte County arson, arrest and search warrants were issued and served in Butte, Sutter, and Sacramento Counties alleging multiple counts of arson and insurance fraud. Of those who were arrested, two men were public figures in their communities. Aaron Pamma who is the Live Oak Vice Mayor was arrested with Simren Pamma, who is a Live Oak Unified School District board member.

In total three men were arrested on individual $1,000,000 warrants issued out of Butte County Superior Court. They were identified as:

– – Aaron Pamma, 30, of Live Oak, was arrested on a warrant alleging Arson, Supporting a False Insurance – – -Claim, Perjury, Fraud, and Conspiracy to Destroy Insured Property for Fraud.
– – Simren Pamma, 28, of Sacramento, was arrested on a warrant alleging Arson and Conspiracy to Destroy Insured Property for Fraud.
– – Gurtej Singh, 28, of Yuba City, was arrested on a warrant alleging Arson, Destroying Insured Property for Fraud, Presenting a False Insurance Claim, Perjury, Fraud, and Wire Fraud.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said the arrest and search warrants were the result of a lengthy joint investigation involving the CalFire Law Enforcement Division, the Butte County District Attorney, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The investigation arose out of a February 17, 2024 arson fire that severely damaged a farmhouse on Ord Ferry Road in Butte County. During the investigation, CalFire investigators determined the house and surrounding orchards had been purchased in April of 2023 by Singh using a U.S. Department of Agriculture mortgage program. Approximately one month after purchasing the property Singh transferred fifty percent ownership of the property to Aaron Pamma and Simren Pamma.

CalFire investigators determined Singh had purchased an insurance policy on the house approximately three months before the fire. Working with the insurance company, investigators determined Singh had made numerous false and/or misleading representations in the application for the insurance policy and that Singh and Aaron Pamma had made numerous false and/or misleading representations to the insurance company after the fire.

Investigators alleged that shortly after the fire, Singh, Aaron Pamma, and Simren Pamma sold the Ord Ferry property and then collected payment from the insurance company resulting in an estimated gross profit of over $200,000.

As part of the alleged conspiracy, investigators also determined that after buying the property in 2023, Singh, Aaron Pamma, and Simren Pamma hired Big Dog Handyman of Corning to renovate and improve the farmhouse. As part of the renovations and improvements, Big Dog Handyman purchased thousands of dollars’ worth of goods and materials from multiple Chico area businesses, using checks on a non-existent bank account.

The owner of Big Dog Handyman, Javier Molina-Bravo, 37, of Corning, was charged in Butte County Superior Court with multiple felony counts of check fraud last March. Molina-Bravo failed to appear for a scheduled hearing in Butte County Superior Court and is currently a wanted fugitive from justice.