A 67-year-old Camarillo man, identified as Gary Larson, was arrested earlier this year on charges linked to child sexual abuse, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office reported on Monday. Larson faces accusations of communicating and arranging to meet a minor for a sexual offense, as well as possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
The incident came to light on February 8, 2025, when Thousand Oaks Patrol Deputies were called to a Target located at 2705 Teller Road in Newbury Park. The deputies were responding to a tip from "Predator Poachers", a non-law enforcement group that specializes in catching adults seeking sexual activities with minors. Larson was confronted by the group while allegedly believing he was meeting with a 13-year-old girl, who was an undercover member of the organization. According to a news release from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, Larson confessed to engaging in sexually explicit conversations with juveniles and admitted sending explicit photos to what he thought was a young female.
As a result of an extensive investigation by the East County Major Crimes Sexual Assault Unit, Larson was charged with multiple offenses including: PC 288.3(a), communicating with a minor to commit a sexual offense, PC 288.4(b), arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts, and counts for possession and distribution of child pornography under PC 311.11(a) and PC 311.1(a) respectively. Following his arrest, Larson posted a $100,000 bail on February 11, 2025.
Larson’s role in the community as a youth soccer coach and private tennis tutor raises additional concerns. A subsequent report in late February by a mother and her 12-year-old daughter, who received tennis lessons from Larson advertised on Craigslist, suggested that there might be more victims; the report hinted at possible "grooming." Grooming is defined by the authorities as the manipulative process to build trust and an emotional connection to exploit or abuse the child. Detective Nicole Adrianzen from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Sexual Assault Unit is leading the investigation and encourages anyone with information to come forward, which "can remain anonymous," a statement from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office revealed.
