'These Victims Had Their Privacy Violated in Such a Disgusting Way'

A longtime California State Parks leader is facing criminal charges after prosecutors say he secretly filmed lifeguards in a locker room at an Orange County beach headquarters. KABC reports that Kevin Pearsall, 59, a former parks superintendent, is accused of hiding a camera in the men's locker room at the Bolsa Chica facility, where at least 23 adult male lifeguards were allegedly recorded nude starting in August 2024, according to the Orange County DA. The device was discovered last July by a parks officer who initially mistook it for a simple USB drive.

Prosecutors say Pearsall sometimes shared the images with two other men while making explicit comments. He's charged with five felony eavesdropping counts, 23 misdemeanor counts of secretly recording another person, and three misdemeanors for unlawfully sharing private recordings—charges that could bring nearly 19 years in county jail. One alleged victim has filed a civil complaint against the state, claiming harassment and a failure to protect employees. The Los Angeles Times notes that that complaint "hints at even more wrongdoing."

NBC Los Angeles reports that the locker room wasn't open to the general public, but instead reserved only for full-time staffers, as well as seasonal lifeguards, maintenance crew, and park aides, among other workers. "Instead of protecting his employees, Pearsall used his position to spy on the men who worked for him," says Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. "These victims had their privacy violated in such a disgusting way." Pearsall, who joined the department in 1994 and retired after search warrants were served, turned himself in Tuesday. He's next due in court on Aug. 6, per People. He hasn't publicly responded to the allegations.