With no complaints, police end probe of Garcia

The criminal investigation into former mayor Alex Garcia has been suspended, according to a statement issued Friday by the Bakersfield Police Department.

Sergeant Eric Celedon, the department's public information officer, said in the statement, "A case number was generated for this incident, but neither involved party contacted us after we reached out. This has left us unable to proceed with any type of investigation. As of now, the case is closed."

This came after Detective Frederick Martinez from the Special Victims Unit of the Bakersfield Police Department confirmed to the Tribune on Thursday that a criminal investigation had been initiated.

"I apologize for not being able to give you more information," Martinez said. "It's how our department works so as not to compromise the integrity of the investigation. We will keep you informed as new information becomes available."

The initial investigation followed a self-styled sting operation by two individuals, DaVonn Bradley and a friend, "Wess," who posed online as a 15-year-old boy to arrange a meeting with Garcia under the guise of being a minor. The allegations stemming from the operation led to Garcia's resignation as mayor.

"We never imagined this would gain so much attention, but we're glad our efforts have shone a light on something so important. Our goal was always to protect kids from those who prey on them, and we hope that by exposing what the mayor did, we've made a difference. We didn't do this for recognition; we did it because we believe that no child should ever have to go through what could have happened. The criminal investigation is a step in the right direction, and we hope it sends a strong message to others who think they can get away with harming the innocent," Bradley said in a statement.

The situation came to public attention after a Facebook post, shared in Bradley's Facebook account, accused Garcia of arranging a meeting with someone he believed to be a minor. The post included a video showing Garcia arriving at the unspecified location, where he was confronted and assaulted by one of the individuals involved. According to Bradley, Garcia arrived with marijuana, a pipe, alcohol, sex paraphernalia and "poppers." The video's content sparked widespread outrage, and Garcia's social media accounts taken down.

At the time, Garcia's attorney, Jared Thompson of the Bakersfield law firm Humphrey & Thompson, issued a statement suggesting that Garcia was the victim of a setup. Thompson argued that the individuals who arranged the meeting had malicious intentions, possibly driven by Garcia's sexual orientation. "Based on the information we have available right now, it appears to be a situation where two individuals tricked Alex and lured him to a location in Bakersfield and then attacked him," Thompson stated.

He further suggested that the incident could be classified as a hate crime, urging that any criminal investigation should focus on the actions of the individuals who confronted Garcia rather than Garcia himself. However, Thompson has not addressed why, if Garcia is claiming the assault was a result of a homophobic attack, no police report has been filed.

Sandra Castañón, a longtime Wasco resident and a member of Kern County Young Democrat Leaders, expressed her support for the investigation. "It's fantastic hearing the news that a criminal case was initiated against Alex Garcia. Whether there are real victims or not, it's important to investigate when these levels of accusations are made. They're to be taken seriously, and it reassures community members that public officials can and will be held accountable."