Kern County In Depth: March 31, 2024
Watch this week’s full episode of Kern County In Depth in the video player above.
For months now, 17 News has reported on an issue that has impacted so many families in our community.
There has been an increase of people being arrested for trying to contact young children for sex. One of the latest examples happened less than a week ago, when a shocking arrest took place at a motel in north Bakersfield.
The suspect? Former Delano police chief, Mark DeRosia.
DeRosia was arrested March 26 on suspicion of contacting a minor with the intent to commit sexual acts and arranging to meet a minor with the intent to commit sexual acts. He’s out on $100,000 bail.
Kern County In Depth: March 24, 2024
The District Attorney’s Office said once they receive the case, they will decide whether to file charges.
DeRosia was dismissed by the Delano Police Department in 2017 for reasons unknown.
17 News went to the department in person, but was told no comment.
In a statement to 17 News, Delano Mayor Joe Alindajao said, in part, “Mr. DeRosia’s conduct as a private citizen and former employee does not reflect upon the honorable men and women of the Delano Police Department nor any of the city’s employees.”
And, two weeks ago, there was another disturbing example — a local girl was found in Utah with a man she had met online.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the 11-year-old girl, who was reported missing two weeks ago and later found a few hours later in Utah, had an online relationship with the adult man who took her. Court documents reveal it all began on the social media platform Snapchat.
KCSO said the man traveled from Colorado to Bakersfield, where he picked the girl up, and started his return trip home with her. The man was identified as 29-year-old Joshua Michael Stehle of Thornton, Colorado.
Kern County In Depth: March 17, 2024
Court documents also showed Stehle gave the girl a promise ring, told her he was going to marry her when she was 18 years old and insisted they were in a relationship after inappropriately touching her in his vehicle.
Kern deputies alerted officers along the route and the man was stopped on Interstate 70 in Salina, Utah — nine hours and 600 miles from Bakersfield.
Stehle was arrested, a gun was seized and the girl was rescued. Deputies flew her back to Bakersfield.
Sgt. Eric Celedon with the Bakersfield Police Department and Titania Jordan with Bark Technologies joined Kern County In Depth to talk more about how to stay vigilant among reports of child predators.
This episode of Kern County In Depth aired on March 31, 2024.
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