Bail set at $3.25M for Pasadena fire captain charged with sexually abusing children

VAN NUYS, Calif. (KESQ) - A judge today set bail at $3.25 million for a Pasadena Fire Department captain who is charged with sexually abusing three children over a period spanning more than two decades in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

The prosecution objected to the defense's request that bail be set for Christopher James Ramstead, 47, of Thousand Oaks, who had been jailed without bail, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.   

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Alan Schneider placed Ramstead on house arrest with a GPS ankle monitor, ordered him not to have any minors at his house except his children and to stay away from all of the alleged victims and witnesses, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Ramstead pleaded not guilty Monday to nine felony counts of lewd act on a child involving alleged abuse during various time frames between March 2003 and July 2025.

A date is scheduled to be set March 26 for a hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence to allow the case against him to proceed to trial.

"These allegations describe years of sexual abuse of children by someone who was repeatedly placed in positions of trust,'' District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement announcing the charges.

"The harm alleged here is profound, and no title, badge or uniform places anyone above the law. We commend the courage of those who reported this abuse, request any others who have information about such abuse to come forward, and assure the public that our office will aggressively pursue justice and stand with survivors."  

Ramstead had initially been arrested Feb. 4 by Los Angeles police and was subsequently released on $550,000 bond, then arrested again two days later, according to jail records, which indicated that he remained behind bars as of mid-Friday afternoon.

He could face a maximum of 135 years to life in state prison if convicted as charged, according to the District Attorney's Office.   

In a statement provided to the Pasadena Star-News, the city of Pasadena said that the alleged crimes ``occurred outside the scope of the employee's official duties'' and that he was ``immediately placed on administrative leave while the investigation(s) take place.''   

Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Juvenile Division are asking anyone who may be an alleged victim or who has additional information about Ramstead to contact them at 818-374-5415 or 1 877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247) during non-business hours or weekends.