Twelve male lifeguards in California have filed a lawsuit against their former supervisor, accusing him of secretly recording them inside locker rooms as they changed clothes.
According to the complaint, the men allege they were filmed without their knowledge by Kevin Pearsall in changing areas at Bolsa Chica State Beach.
The new civil lawsuit follows criminal charges filed against Pearsall, 59, in June. At the time, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said he had been charged with five felony counts of eavesdropping, 23 misdemeanor counts of secretly filming another person, and three misdemeanor counts tied to the unlawful distribution of private recordings.
Pearsall worked as a California State Parks superintendent from 2023 until last July, when he retired after being placed on administrative leave while the allegations were under investigation.
He surrendered to authorities on June 23 after a $500,000 arrest warrant was issued. Since then, several alleged victims have brought separate civil actions against Pearsall and the California Department of Parks and Recreation, claiming sexual harassment and a hostile workplace environment.
The latest claims, filed this week in Orange County Superior Court by 12 lifeguards, allege that Pearsall’s conduct was part of a broader pattern of abuse.
The lawsuit also accuses the California Department of Parks and Recreation of being aware of Pearsall’s alleged misconduct but failing to intervene or protect employees.
Kevin Pearsall, 59, is facing both criminal charges and civil lawsuits over allegations that he secretly recorded employees while they changed in a locker room.
Pearsall is accused of filming lifeguards and parks department workers at a private bathroom for employees of Bolsa Chica State Beach, pictured above (file photo)
Pearsall served as the California State Park Superintendent from 2023 until last July, when he retired. He is pictured above with other officials in April, 2025
Pearsall’s legal woes came last summer when a California State Park officer found a USB drive in the men’s locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach Lifeguard Headquarters, officials said.
After discovering alleged explicit content, the officer reported the drive to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
CHP allegedly found audio and video nude content over an 11-month period. Prosecutors said the alleged victims had no idea they were being recorded.
Pearsall then allegedly distributed the content to two other men and made sexually charged comments about his employees’ genitals, according to the DA.
The locker room is not open to the public and is used by full-time personnel, seasonal lifeguards, office staff, maintenance and park aides.
‘Instead of protecting his employees, Pearsall used his position to spy on the men who worked for him while they were in the place where they should have been the safest and then share those intimate images of his victims,’ Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said.
‘These victims had their privacy violated in such a disgusting way, and we will do everything we can to ensure they receive the justice they deserve.’
His arraignment has been postponed to September 21. Pearsall is not in custody as he awaits his court hearings.
Pearsall was the department superintendent at Bolsa Chica State Beach. He’s pictured above (right) last October
Attorney Mark Peacock, who represents seven of the lifeguards, told the Los Angeles Times earlier this month that his clients were disappointed that Pearsall has not been arraigned sooner.
He added that four of the lifeguards he represents are still minors.
‘They’re young men who were just starting their lives out. To put on a suit and tie and expect quick and easy justice, when that guy walks out, it just rebirths emotions of “I’m p***ed and I can’t believe he did that,”‘ Peacock said.
The attorney said the recordings may go back to 2019, adding that he believes more lifeguards will come forward.
Attorney Gloria Allred has also filed a civil complaint on behalf of three employees, two of whom spoke out about the case.
Richard Corey and Matthew Dawson, two of the plaintiffs, came face to face with Pearsall at a court hearing earlier this month.
‘I saw Kevin today in the hallway,’ Dawson told reporters outside the courthouse. ‘When he walked past me my stomach dropped. I saw him smiling,’ he added, according to local ABC affiliate KABC.
‘It’s already a betrayal, it already hurts, but who does that?’ Corey added. ‘The whole thing is messed up and hurts.’
Pearsall appeared in court earlier this summer for his arraignment, which has now been delayed until September 21
He said that Pearsall was a sworn peace officer and committed the ‘highest level of betrayal.’
‘This case is far bigger than one employee and one incident,’ said Bijan Darvish, who represents 12 of the lifeguards in the new civil suit.
‘These were employees who went to work, performed their jobs and entered a workplace locker room believing they had the most basic right to privacy. Instead, they allege they were secretly recorded while naked—and that some of those images were shared.’
The California State Parks Department previously said it took the charges against Pearsall ‘very seriously’ and was cooperating with law enforcement.
‘State Parks values having a safe workplace where all staff feel welcome and respected,’ they added in a statement.
‘The department holds all employees to the highest ethical and professional standards, and these charges are not reflective of the values, hard work, dedication and professionalism of the approximately 5,000 employees who support California’s 280 state parks each day.’
Our News Outlet has reached out to Pearsall’s representation and the Parks and Recreation Department for comment.
