State attorney general files felony charges against former Kern County supervisor

The California attorney general’s office announced felony charges Friday against former Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner, after the state took over an investigation into allegations that Scrivner had sexually assaulted his child.

“No one is above the law,” Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said in a statement Friday announcing the charges. “At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to fight for the people of California and hold those who break the law accountable.”

Following “an extensive investigation” by the state Justice Department, Scrivner is facing three felony counts of child abuse and two counts of possessing assault weapons. The charges were filed in Kern County Superior Court. Scrivner was scheduled to be arraigned at 3 p.m. Friday.

Bonta’s office said previously that the attorney general took over the case because of the “potential conflict of interest” involving the Kern County district attorney’s office. Kern County Dist. Atty. Cynthia Zimmer is Scrivner’s aunt.

Scrivner resigned from the county Board of Supervisors in August. In a letter to Chairman David Couch, Scrivner did not mention the allegations made against him. Instead, he said he was resigning due to “significant health and medical reasons.”

Scrivner’s attorney, H.A. Sala, has denied the sexual assault allegation in comments to the media, saying he has proof that refutes claims made by the sheriff. Sala could not be reached for comment Friday.

In April, Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said in a news conference that Zimmer had contacted the sheriff and said Scrivner was armed at his Tehachapi home and appeared to be having “some type of psychotic episode.”

Youngblood said he learned Scrivner had had a physical altercation and was stabbed twice in the upper torso by one of his children over allegations that he had assaulted another of them. Scrivner’s four minor children were at the house at the time, but his wife, who had previously filed for divorce, was not.

Detectives obtained a search warrant and ended up seizing 30 firearms, psychedelic mushrooms, electronic devices and possible evidence of sexual assault in the house, Youngblood said at the news conference.

According to the state’s complaint, Scrivner is facing two felony counts of unlawful possession of a semiautomatic AK-47-style rifle and a Colt semiautomatic AR-15-style rifle.

The complaint offers few details about what happened on April 23. According to the state attorney general, Scrivner “consumed mind and/or mood altering drugs and substances, got into bed” with a child, who was not identified, and inappropriately touched the child.

Scrivner, the state alleges, also faces a felony count after bringing out a firearm, during which a struggle ensued with one of the children at the home.

Before his resignation, Scrivner represented District 2, which includes Bakersfield, California City, Frazier Park, Taft and Tehachapi, covering about 3,660 square miles. The Board of Supervisors held an election in November to fill the vacancy.

Kern County residents had demanded that Scrivner resign before the charges were announced. County board members declined to comment on the investigation.

Scrivner served as a board supervisor since 2010, according to his district biography. Before that, he was elected to the Bakersfield City Council. He also spent four years working for former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.