Kevin Pearsall, 59, of Long Beach, a former California State Parks superintendent and sworn law enforcement officer, is facing dozens of criminal charges following accusations of secretly recording lifeguards within an employee locker room. Prosecutors allege Pearsall also shared some of this footage with other individuals. Pearsall appeared in court on Thursday, where his attorney requested a delay in his arraignment, a request granted by the judge. He is now scheduled to return to court on September 21.
"It’s already a betrayal, it already hurts, but who does that? The whole thing is messed up and hurts." — Richard Corey, Park Aide and Lifeguard
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has charged Pearsall with five felony counts of eavesdropping, 23 misdemeanor counts of secretly filming another person, and three misdemeanor counts of unlawfully distributing private recordings. These allegations reportedly cover an approximate 11-month period, commencing in August 2024, during which Pearsall is accused of capturing both audio and video inside a lifeguard locker room. Prosecutors further contend that Pearsall disseminated some of these recordings to two other men and made sexually charged comments about the alleged victims’ bodies.
Pearsall's position at the time of the alleged incidents adds a layer of concern for many involved. From 2023 through July 2025, he served as a California State Parks superintendent, overseeing operations within the Orange Coast District, which includes Orange County. This role was a sworn law enforcement position, a detail that several alleged victims and their representatives have highlighted as a profound breach of trust.
The criminal investigation began in July 2025, when authorities discovered a USB memory stick containing a hidden camera inside the men’s employee locker room at lifeguard headquarters. California State Parks officials examined the device before escalating the matter to the California Highway Patrol. Investigators subsequently determined that Pearsall allegedly placed these hidden cameras and used them to capture numerous recordings.
At least nine alleged victims were present at Thursday’s court hearing, many expressing profound anger and betrayal. Matthew Dawson, a park aide and lifeguard, described his reaction to seeing Pearsall in the hallway. "I saw Kevin today in the hallway," Dawson told reporters. "When he walked past me my stomach dropped. … I saw him smiling." Dawson added, "This is not a joke. To me, it’s obviously another game for him." Richard Corey, another park aide and lifeguard, echoed Dawson's sentiments, also noting Pearsall's smile. "It’s already a betrayal, it already hurts, but who does that?" Corey stated. "The whole thing is messed up and hurts." Corey further characterized learning about the investigation as an intensely emotional experience for employees, describing it as "anger, sadness, betrayal. It was a wild day."
The locker room was routinely used by employees to change into their uniforms. Dawson and Corey explained that lifeguards were encouraged to arrive in civilian clothes and change at work, a practice intended to avoid confusion with law enforcement officers due to uniform similarities. This routine practice now stands at the heart of the criminal allegations.
Concerns extend beyond the immediate charges, with attorneys representing alleged victims raising questions about the potential broader distribution of the recordings. Attorney Mark Peacock, representing several alleged victims, stated that four of his clients were minors when the alleged recordings took place. Peacock voiced serious concerns about whether the alleged recordings may have spread further than the individuals identified by prosecutors. "Where are all the photos and videos?" Peacock asked reporters. "Did they make their way to the dark web? You can fill in the blank how horrific that is." Attorney Gloria Allred, who represents nine alleged victims, including Dawson and Corey, has indicated her intent to file additional civil lawsuits connected to the case.
Civil litigation has already commenced. One alleged victim filed a lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court in June, accusing state officials of fostering a hostile work environment, sexual harassment, and failing to prevent or address the alleged misconduct. Ron Zambrano, the attorney for this plaintiff, revealed that his client had viewed Pearsall as a mentor. "My client is shocked, devastated — wrapped up in betrayal," Zambrano said. The plaintiff, who began as a seasonal lifeguard in 2018 and became a full-time employee in April 2022, reportedly had his locker moved by Pearsall to a more desirable, yet strategically advantageous, location for the camera, according to Zambrano.
Further questions have arisen regarding whether other underage workers, specifically junior lifeguards who reportedly used the locker room, could have been recorded. While investigators have not publicly confirmed their presence in any footage, the possibility adds to the anxieties surrounding the case. Zambrano also claimed an investigator informed him the alleged activity could potentially date back as far as 2019. Pearsall reportedly retired in July 2025, around the same time investigators executed their first search warrant in the case. If convicted on all charges, Pearsall faces a maximum sentence of 18 years and eight months in prison.
