On February 6, 2017, Kern County Sheriff's deputies from the Wasco substation began investigating an indecent exposure incident.
Through the course of the investigation, multiple victims were found in Wasco and Shafter in separate incidents dating back to November 2016.
With the assistance of Shafter Police Department the suspect, 29-year-old John Anthony Searls, a sex registrant, was positively identified.
On February 8, 2017, around 3:30 p.m., Searls was located at his residence and arrested without incident. He was transported to the Central Receiving Facility and booked for ten counts of Annoying a Child with Prior Convictions, eight counts of Indecent Exposure with Prior Convictions and two counts of Stalking.
His bail is currently $587,500.
The Shafter Police Department will be adding additional charges of Attempted Kidnapping, Indecent Exposure with a Prior Conviction and Annoying a Child with a Prior Conviction relating to an investigation from November 2016.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (661) 861-3110 or Secret Witness at (661) 322-4040.
