Kern County District Attorney's Office

Kern County District Attorney's Office The official page of the Kern County District Attorney’s Office.

"The Kern County District Attorney's Office is dedicated to seeking fair and equal justice for all people in our community. “

Cynthia Zimmer
Kern County District Attorney

Jaime Regalado Avalos has been convicted in the murder of his girlfriend’s cousin. On June 11, 2026, in a case prosecute...
06/12/2026

Jaime Regalado Avalos has been convicted in the murder of his girlfriend’s cousin. On June 11, 2026, in a case prosecuted by Deputy DA Brad Taconi, defendant Regalado pled no contest to second degree murder. He faces 15 years to life in prison at his sentencing hearing on July 13, 2026.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, Claudia Morales Vasquez became involved in an argument with her cousin Noralina Vasquez Hernandez and her cousin’s boyfriend, Jaime Regalado, whom she was visiting. As the argument escalated, the victim called her parents and requested they drive from Northern California to Bakersfield to pick her up. In the early morning hours of April 26, 2024, Regalado grabbed Ms. Vasquez Hernandez by her shirt, pulled her into him, and told his girlfriend to go into their shared bedroom. Regalado threw the victim to the ground and pressed down on her face and neck with his foot. Regalado then carried the victim’s limp body out to his vehicle.

Regalado drove the victim’s body to an orchard off Stockdale Hwy in far West Bakersfield. Her body was discovered by farm workers around 8:15 in the morning. Upon their arrival in Bakersfield, the victim’s parents found an empty apartment smelling of bleach and cleaning products. They reported the victim as missing. Deputies were able to connect the two crime scenes and identify Regalado as the primary suspect. Regalado and his girlfriend were located travelling southbound on Interstate 5. Officers with the California Highway Patrol successfully conducted a traffic stop where they identified a blood stain on Regalado’s shoe, a jacket covered with the victim’s blood, and a blood stain in the vehicle.

DA Zimmer commented; “Despite Regalado’s attempts to conceal the crime by disposing of the victim’s body and evading law enforcement, I am grateful for the thorough investigation and successful prosecution that brought him to justice.”

Jaime Regalado’s girlfriend admitted to investigators that she cleaned the crime scene following the homicide. On October 14, 2024, Vasquez Hernandez pleaded no contest to one count of Accessory After the Fact. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2026.

The California Board of Parole granted release to a convicted murderer who fled the country and remained a fugitive for ...
06/11/2026

The California Board of Parole granted release to a convicted murderer who fled the country and remained a fugitive for five years after committing the crime.

Representing the District Attorney’s Office at the hearing and objecting to the release was Deputy DA Gina Nargie.

On the evening of May 24, 1998, Jesus Gutierrez shot and killed Derrick Luque while Mr. Luque was walking with his girlfriend and pushing their child in a stroller. Earlier that day, the victim got into an argument with three juvenile males who were members of the Rexland Acres Gang. Later that evening, the victim and his girlfriend took their child to Rexland Park. On their walk home, the family heard one of the juvenile males from earlier that day yelling. Gutierrez then fired four rounds in the family’s direction. The victim was shot in the face and succumbed to his injuries.

Following the murder, Gutierrez fled to Mexico to avoid arrest. After five years, Gutierrez left Mexico and moved to Minnesota. On October 20, 2003, law enforcement took Gutierrez into custody on an arrest warrant.

On May 17, 2004, Gutierrez pled guilty to murder in the second degree. He was subsequently sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison.

Gutierrez is currently 43 years old and has served approximately 22 years in state prison. At the parole hearing, the commissioners focused on Gutierrez’s disassociation from gangs, rehabilitative programming, facilitation of rehabilitative program groups, maintenance of sobriety, and parole plans. Ultimately, the board found that Gutierrez was suitable for parole and no longer poses a current unreasonable risk of danger to society. Gutierrez will remain in custody for approximately 120-180 days while his grant of parole is reviewed.

DA Zimmer commented; “The victim's family endured years without the justice and closure they deserved, and this parole decision does not diminish the impact this crime has had on their lives. Although the parole board reached a different conclusion, our commitment remains with prioritizing public safety.”

Please join us in welcoming our 2026 Summer Law Clerks! 🎉⚖️📚 While many students are “off” for the summer, these incomin...
06/10/2026

Please join us in welcoming our 2026 Summer Law Clerks! 🎉⚖️

📚 While many students are “off” for the summer, these incoming third-year law students are gaining hands-on experience in criminal law and putting their classroom knowledge into practice. Under the supervision of a senior prosecutor, the clerks will assist with preparing criminal cases for court by completing charge summaries, providing discovery, and drafting motions.

📸 From left to right:
• Leanne Park – Southwestern Law School
• Krislam Junsay – UC Law San Francisco
• Emily Cervantes – Loyola Law School
• District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer
• Kelly Chang – Pepperdine Caruso School of Law
• Genaro Cortez-Olea – California Western School of Law
• James Nagle – Chapman University Fowler School of Law

We are excited to welcome this group to our office and look forward to a great summer ahead! ☀️👏

Two men are facing life sentences without the possibility of parole following convictions in a significant dual trial.Ye...
06/09/2026

Two men are facing life sentences without the possibility of parole following convictions in a significant dual trial.

Yesterday, a Kern County jury found Gabriel Prieto guilty of the First-Degree Murder of Emanuel Gonzalez, that occurred on July 29, 2024, at Georgetown and Field Street in Lamont.

On June 5, 2026, a separate jury also found Romieo Narvaez guilty of the First-Degree Murder of Emanuel Gonzalez. Both juries found true the special circumstance killing during the commission of a robbery.

The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy DA Eric Smith.

On July 29, 2024, Kern County Sheriff Deputies responded to Lamont, California regarding an initial report of a driver pinned inside his vehicle following a crash into a semi-truck. When deputies arrived on scene, they observed Emanuel Gonzalez seated in the driver seat, face covered in blood, with an apparent wound to his forehead. Detectives observed cannabis THC v**e pen boxes on the front passenger floorboard and center console, and a clear plastic bag with spilled ma*****na buds on the floorboard of the driver’s side.

An investigation was initiated. Detectives reviewed the victim’s phone messages and calls and observed contact immediately prior to the homicide between the victim and a Snapchat account that was created by Prieto that same night. The messages narrated a scheduled meeting for the victim to sell ma*****na. Surveillance footage obtained from the area depicted Romieo Narvaez with a sweatshirt tied tightly around his face, walking with Gabriel Prieto. Prieto is then seen walking over to the passenger side of the victim’s vehicle, shooting the victim, and taking ma*****na from the vehicle, with Narvaez as his accomplice.

DA Zimmer commented; “Prieto and Narvaez carried out a sophisticated crime, luring the victim with the intent not only to rob him, but ultimately to take his life. This verdict reflects the thorough work of investigators and prosecutors, who pursued justice to ensure that these dangerous individuals live the rest of their lives behind bars.”

Sentencing is scheduled for June 22nd and August 6, 2026.

A convicted three-strike offender who spent years terrorizing our community, will remain incarcerated as the CA Board of...
06/09/2026

A convicted three-strike offender who spent years terrorizing our community, will remain incarcerated as the CA Board of Parole determined that Lenel Randolph continues to pose a risk to public safety.

Representing the DA’s Office and advocating for the denial at the Parole Suitability Hearing was Deputy DA Matt Rexroad.

Randolph’s extensive criminal history includes violent robberies, attempted murder, and the commercial s*xual exploitation of a minor.

October 1985: Randolph entered the Bakersfield residence of an 82-year-old resident to commit a robbery. During the crime, Randolph drew a knife and stabbed the elderly victim numerous times, causing severe injuries. He was subsequently convicted of residential robbery and attempted second-degree murder and sentenced to a 10-year prison term.

March 1994: Randolph and an accomplice targeted a 13-year-old runaway girl in Bakersfield and s*x-trafficked the child to support his drug habit, in addition to s*xually assaulting her. He was convicted of procuring a minor for prostitution and lewd acts, resulting in an 8-year prison term. Randolph was also later convicted in Kern County for indecent public exposure and domestic battery against his wife.

October 2003: Bakersfield police officers attempted to contact Randolph. He fled on foot, ignored multiple verbal commands to halt, and abruptly assumed a fighting stance against chasing officers. He was found discarding a baggie of solid co***ne base, a glass smoking pipe, and a steak knife with burnt residue. Randolph pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 25 years to life as a Third Strike offender.

The DA’s Office vigorously opposed Randolph's release at the state prison hearing, highlighting his absolute lack of rehabilitation and his refusal to take responsibility for his s*x crimes.

DA Zimmer commented; “Lenel Randolph has spent his entire adult life cycling through state prison and exploiting the most vulnerable members of our community. My office will continue to attend these hearings in an attempt to ensure that career criminals serve the full measure of their sentences for the protection of our public.”

Inmate Steven Wade Rogers is a three-strikes offender with a criminal history that includes armed robbery, assault with ...
06/05/2026

Inmate Steven Wade Rogers is a three-strikes offender with a criminal history that includes armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and his current offenses: first-degree residential burglary and felony reckless evading of a peace officer.

Now 57 years old, Rogers is serving a 55-years-to-life sentence imposed in 1998. Recently, he became eligible for a parole hearing under California's Elderly Parole Program. If not for the program, Rogers wouldn’t have been eligible for parole until 2036.

His prison record includes approximately 18 Rules Violation Reports, a 2005 conviction for possessing an inmate-manufactured deadly weapon, and a 2009 conviction for participating in a sophisticated prison narcotics smuggling conspiracy. Rogers was also a validated gang member. Despite these factors, the Board of Parole granted parole over the DA's objection.

The most recent commitment offenses trace back to 1997 where Rogers forcibly burglarized an inhabited dwelling in Bakersfield. A responding officer observed Rogers actively loading stolen electronics, cameras, and personal jewelry into a vehicle belonging to the primary resident of the home. Rogers then started the vehicle and accelerated recklessly out of the garage, striking a vehicle before initiating a high-speed pursuit. Rogers eventually crashed into several trees and escaped on foot.

Only hours later, Rogers burglarized a secondary family residence belonging to an elderly couple. Rogers entered the home while the victims slept, stealing their personal wallets, identification, keys, and their vehicle.

Following an intensive multi-day investigation, Rogers was apprehended. At the time of his arrest, Rogers admitted his sole motivation was securing financial profits to maintain an escalating addiction to methamphetamine and he**in.

DA Zimmer commented; “Elderly parole expansions are forcing the premature release of hardened, violent career criminals directly back into our neighborhoods. Inmates who target and terrorize local residents should serve their full sentences for the protection of our community, and our office will continue to fight these early releases.”

June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, educate our community, and take action to protect older ...
06/04/2026

June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, educate our community, and take action to protect older adults from abuse and neglect. 🎗️

Elder abuse can take many forms, including physical, emotional, s*xual, and financial abuse, as well as neglect, self-neglect, and abandonment. Many older adults are especially vulnerable and may be unable to recognize or report the mistreatment they experience.

📣 Please review the resources provided, including information on how to report suspected abuse. The Kern County Family Justice Center is also available to assist older adults with services such as restraining orders, reporting to law enforcement, referrals for in-home supportive services, and other resources designed to help individuals regain safety and stability.

Look out for your elderly family members, friends, and neighbors. 💜 To learn more about elder abuse prevention and detection, visit ncea.usc.edu. 📲

Recently, 50-year-old Juan Mendoza, a convicted child molester, was denied parole at his first hearing. In 2026, prior t...
05/29/2026

Recently, 50-year-old Juan Mendoza, a convicted child molester, was denied parole at his first hearing. In 2026, prior to the parole hearing, a psychologist determined that Mendoza was low risk. However, at the recent hearing, Mendoza changed statements he made to the psychologist and admitted he had touched a second minor female with the intention of s*xually abusing her but decided not to go further. In addition, his testimony strongly indicated that he likely continued to have deviant s*xual fantasies.

Deputy DA Gina Nargie not only asked the board to deny parole, but to have Mendoza reevaluated by a psychologist given the new statements. While the board found that Mendoza was not suitable for parole, the board denied the DA’s Office request for a new psychological evaluation. Mendoza’s next hearing could be as soon as 18 months, meaning he may face a parole hearing before undergoing another routine psychological evaluation.

Mendoza was sentenced to 15 years to life in 2018 for lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 14 and oral copulation of a child under the age of 10.

The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in November 2016 when the eight-year-old victim informed her mother that Mendoza committed a s*xual offense against her at a family party. Mendoza took the child behind an unattached garage that was in a dimly lit area and s*xually assaulted her. When Mendonza finally stopped, he gave the victim 10 dollars and told her not to tell. After the family party, Mendoza drove the victim home. Witnesses testified that the victim was crying when she returned home.

DA Zimmer commented; “Although the Board denied Mendoza’s release, our concerns remain significant, as he will be eligible for another hearing in as little as 18 months. By denying our request for an additional psychological evaluation after Mendoza provided new and inconsistent statements during the hearing, the board is failing to address critical factors necessary to determine an inmate’s suitability for release.”

On May 22, 2026, Kern County District Attorney Investigators conducted a probation search in the 2500 block of White Lan...
05/27/2026

On May 22, 2026, Kern County District Attorney Investigators conducted a probation search in the 2500 block of White Lane. During the search, investigators seized suspected methamphetamine, scales, and drug paraphernalia. Investigators arrested Cinthia Rizo (42 years old) of Bakersfield and booked her into the Kern County jail.

On May 27, 2026, the District Attorney’s Office filed three criminal charges against Cinthia Rizo, including:
• Possession for Sale of a Controlled Substance (Felony)
• Sale/Offer to Sell/ Transportation of a Controlled Substance (Felony)
• Possession of Injection/Smoking Device (Misdemeanor)

Rizo was arraigned on the charges this afternoon.

District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer commented; “This arrest reflects the exceptional efforts of District Attorney Investigators, whose diligence and commitment help keep dangerous drugs off our streets. Their efforts reflect a strong commitment to holding offenders accountable and the community safe.”

As with all criminal cases, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the charges are proven in court beyond a reasonable doubt.

We pause today to honor the fallen service members who courageously defended our nation. Though their sacrifice can neve...
05/25/2026

We pause today to honor the fallen service members who courageously defended our nation. Though their sacrifice can never be repaid, we remain forever grateful for their devotion to our country. 🇺🇸

Address

1215 Truxtun Avenue
Bakersfield, CA
93301

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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(661) 868-2340

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