CHP officer arrested on suspicion of workers’ compensation fraud

June 25, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. — California Highway Patrol today announced the arrest of a 25-year veteran officer on suspicion of Workers’ Compensation insurance fraud and theft. The alleged suspect, 46-year-old Kathleen M. Beardsley, had been assigned to CHP’s San Gorgonio Pass Area Station since 2016.

The arrest was the culmination of a seven-month long investigation by CHP’s Workers’ Compensation Fraud Investigations Unit based at CHP’s Headquarters in Sacramento, San Gorgonio Pass Area CHP Commander Captain Mike Alvarez said after Beardsley’s arrest.

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According to Alvarez, Beardsley filed a workers’ compensation insurance claim on February 14, 2019.

“In October, a tip was received by the CHP’s Workers’ Compensation Fraud Investigations Unit, and an investigation was initiated,” explained Alvarez.

“A part of the investigation included surveillance in which Beardsley
was observed engaging in activities inconsistent with the limitations outlined in her claim,” Alvarez continued.

Based on their investigation, officials arrested Beardsley without incident at the Banning Police station on June 24.

Online jail records indicate Beardsley was booked into Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on four felony charges related to the months-long investigation.

She was released the following day after posting $10,500 bail or bond.

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Since her arrest, Beardsley has been placed on administrative leave and stripped of her peace officer powers, according to Alvarez; who said that in addition to the criminal investigation, CHP is also conducting an internal administrative investigation into the allegations against her.

Allegations of workers’ compensation fraud may be reported by calling a toll-free Fraud Reporting Hotline (1-866-779-9237) or by email.

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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and 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.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.