parks
Ex-OC state parks chief accused of secretly filming male lifeguards in locker room
By Jill Replogle, Sammy Marvin at LAist (KPCC / Southern California Public Radio)
· June 24, 2026
· 2 min read
Bolsa Chica State Beach at sunset. (Courtesy Dave Gibbs / LAist)A former state parks superintendent who oversaw Orange County beaches was charged Wednesday with secretly filming naked male lifeguards and other workers inside the locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach. The former superintendent, K...
Key takeaway Pearsall, 59, of Long Beach, faces five felony counts of eavesdropping, 23 misdemeanor counts of secretly filming another and three misdemeanor counts of unlawful dissemination of private recordings.
Why this matters in The Los Angeles
The charges against former state parks superintendent Kevin Pearsall have significant implications for the management and oversight of Orange County's state beaches. As a high-ranking official, Pearsall was responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of beachgoers and employees, including lifeguards. The alleged secret filming of naked lifeguards and other workers in the locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach raises questions about the culture and accountability within the state parks system. The fact that Pearsall retired shortly after search warrants were served suggests that he may have been aware of the investigation's findings and attempted to avoid consequences. The California State Parks agency's cooperation with law enforcement is a positive step, but the incident may still erode trust among employees and the public. As the case moves forward, it will be important to watch how the agency responds to the allegations and works to prevent similar incidents in the future.
About this story
Original reporting by LAist (KPCC / Southern California Public Radio) . The Los Angeles surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: parks ·
Published: June 24, 2026 ·
Source: LAist (KPCC / Southern California Public Radio) ·
Reading time: 2 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Bolsa Chica State Beach at sunset. (Courtesy Dave Gibbs / LAist)A former state parks superintendent who oversaw Orange County beaches was charged Wednesday with secretly filming naked male lifeguards and other workers inside the locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach. The former superintendent, K...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 24, 2026 by LAist (KPCC / Southern California Public Radio) and curated for The Los Angeles readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Jill Replogle, Sammy Marvin at LAist (KPCC / Southern California Public Radio). To learn more about how The Los Angeles selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more parks coverage from The Los Angeles, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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