Lawsuit filed after ex-State Parks boss accused of secretly recording in OC locker room
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. (KABC) -- Three alleged victims are coming forward and suing after former California State Parks superintendent in Orange County was accused of secretly recording several men, including lifeguards, in a locker room.
Attorney Gloria Allred announced that her office on Wednesday filed the lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court on behalf of the former and current employees of the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
The lawsuit stems from allegations that 59-year-old Kevin Pearsall placed a hidden camera in the men's locker room at the Bolsa Chica headquarters during the summer of 2024. At least 23 victims -- all male adults -- have been identified in the case.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Richard Corey, Matthew Dawson and Nicholas Petkas. Only Corey and Dawson were present during a Thursday news conference alongside their attorney.
Dawson described the moment he found out about the allegations.
"Our management sat us down for a meeting at work. They told us what Kevin did. It was like getting punched in the stomach. There were no words. I couldn't believe it. When I was naked, changing into uniform in the locker room, I remember Kevin directing me to the back area. I never thought anything of it. It just seemed eccentric and now I feel he was setting me up to undress on camera."
The alleged victims weren't all lifeguards, but believe Pearsall betrayed their trust and failed his employees. They are also accusing the state parks department of administrative failures.
"They don't encourage us to be in uniform when we arrive. We look too much like police officers, so we have to change in there," said Richard Corey, a senior park aide.
Allred says employers have a mandatory duty to take all reasonable steps necessary to prevent and promptly correct harassment and discrimination to ensure a workplace free of sexual harassment.
Authorities said the investigation began in July of last year, when a sworn California State Parks officer discovered a USB device in the locker room.
Prosecutors allege the hidden camera had been recording since August 2024, capturing footage of lifeguards while they were nude. On some occasions, Pearsall is accused of sharing those images with two other men.
Now out on bail, Pearsall is charged with five felony counts of eavesdropping, 23 misdemeanor counts of secretly filming another, and three misdemeanor counts of unlawful dissemination of private recordings. He faces a maximum sentence of 18 years and eight months in the Orange County Jail if convicted on all counts.
Pearsall had worked for the department since 1994, but retired shortly after the California Highway Patrol served search warrants related to the investigation.
From 2023 through July of 2025, Pearsall served as a California State Parks Superintendent, which is a sworn law enforcement position overseeing the management and operations of state parks in the Orange Coast District, including Orange County, according to the DA's office.
"California State Parks takes these charges very seriously and has fully cooperated with law enforcement through every step of the investigation," read a statement from the agency. "Upon being alerted to these serious criminal allegations, State Parks immediately contacted the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and requested an investigation. As this is an active criminal case, State Parks will not comment further at this time."
Authorities said Pearsall turned himself in last week and is scheduled to appear in court in August. Eyewitness News has made multiple attempts to reach Pearsall for comment, but so far, we have not heard back.
"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," said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. "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."
