California mayor Alex Garcia faces calls to resign over video where he’s accused of trying to meet minors. He claims he was ‘tricked’

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. A video posted July 24 to a now-private Facebook group called “Bakersfield Crime Watch” showed Alex Garcia, the first openly gay elected official in Wasco, a Bakersfield suburb that produces some 55 percent of the nation’s roses, arriving at a prearranged location, purportedly to meet a 15-year-old boy he had been communicating with on Sniffies, a gay dating app. The post’s author, who goes by “Davonn Bradley,” said Garcia showed up with condoms, marijuana, sex toys, and amyl nitrate, known as “poppers.” Bradley, who did not respond to messages on Wednesday, told a local news outlet that he and a man he identified as his brother had been posing online as teens in an attempt to “catch predators, ask them why and what they’re doing here, and release the videos to the public so people know who they are and can report them.” Garcia, according to Bradley’s post, was planning to “do horrific things” to the fictitious child. Our theory is that he wanted to drug this kid and do things like he said in that audio recording.” open image in gallery Garcia has not been charged with a crime, but video of the “sting” has been shared online According to the Tribune, Bradley shared screenshots of alleged text messages from Garcia to the purported 15-year-old, in which a person identifying himself as Garcia said he was “looking for younger,” and reacting with apparent glee when the “teen” described himself as “super young.” Bradley also showed the reporter a $25 CashApp payment from Garcia, which he said was a payment in exchange for the boy’s silence. “As such, the Kern County Democratic Party calls on Mr. Garcia to immediately resign from his position on the Wasco City Council, so that the city can focus on the work of serving its citizens without distraction.” Bakersfield police have confirmed they are aware of the video, but that they “have no more information than the information posted” online and have received “no reports regarding the assault.”