PD man arrested after sexually battering two girls at Walmart

PALM DESERT — Authorities identified, tracked down, and arrested a Palm Desert man they allege grabbed the buttocks of two teens on different days at the same Palm Desert business. Both alleged incidents happened at the Walmart located at 34500 Monterey Avenue in the city of Palm Desert.

In both cases, officials say 45-year-old, Brian John Averett, grabbed the buttocks of teenage girls as they shopped inside the store.

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The first incident happened Monday afternoon, July 30, and involved a 16-year-old who reported that a man had grabbed her bottom as she was shopping inside the store, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant David Wright explained after Averett’s arrest. The second incident happened about a week later on Wednesday, Aug. 8, and involved a 17-year-old who reported a similar sexual battery.

Brian Averett was arrested after he allegedly grabbed the buttocks of two different teenage girls. RSO booking photo

Both reported incidents happened between 4 and 5 p.m., and in both cases the victims described the alleged suspect as a heavy-set, white male in his 50’s.

In both cases, deputies searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect.

Based on the circumstances, Palm Desert PD’s Investigations Bureau assumed the investigation and subsequently identified Averett as the suspect.

Two days after the second battery, on Friday morning, Aug 10, Investigator Recksiek located Averett at an unspecified Palm Desert business and arrested him without incident.

He was later booked into Riverside County Jail in Indio on two counts of sexual battery and two counts of annoying and molesting a child, according to Wright. He remains in custody on $5,000 bail.

Anyone with information regarding this or similar incidents or who was possibly victimized by Averett is encouraged to to contact Investigator Recksiek at (760) 836-1600 or at (760) 341-STOP (7867). Callers can refer to incident file numbers T182110094 and T182200104 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations, including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook, as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and The Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.