By Jaylyn Preslicka and Ethan Cohen
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, with information regarding Eric Brothwell’s arrest and release.
Part-time Long Beach State Biology Lecturer Eric Brothwell was arrested for allegedly contacting a minor with the intent to have sex on Monday, March 10, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Brothwell was being held at the Orange County Jail but has since posted bail for $100,000 and was released on Tuesday, March 11, according to the department.
His arraignment will be scheduled for a later date.
According to California state law, a person who communicates with a minor intending to commit a crime “shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for the term prescribed for an attempt to commit the intended offense.”
Penalties for this offense can be severe, potentially resulting in up to 14 years in state prison. In addition to prison time, those convicted may be required to register as a tier-three sex offender for life.
Offenders may also face a maximum fine of $10,000, adding significant financial consequences to the legal repercussions.
People v. Preds CATCH 505
ERIC BROTHWELL
MISSION VIEJO, CALIFORNIA
COLLEGE PROFESSOR WAS TALKING TO WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A 14 YEAR OLD BOY FOR ADULT PURPOSES..#missionviejo #california #tcap #tocatchapredator #protectourkids #forthekids #caught #caughtoncamera #predator pic.twitter.com/qxNFTG4htB
— People v. Preds (@peoplevpreds) March 5, 2025
Prior to his arrest, Brothwell was absent from campus following a viral social media video alleging his involvement in inappropriate online communications with a minor, posted on March 4.
“People vs. Preds” is a group of anti-exploitation activists who pose as minors to catch sexual predators. The group posted a more than five-minute confrontational interview with Brothwell to X.
“We are aware of social media content alleging misconduct by a part-time lecturer. We take these concerns very seriously,” Chief Communications Officer Jeffrey D. Cook said in a university statement.
Cook said they were limited with the information they could share due to the “personnel and law enforcement considerations involved.” Brothwell was also instructed not to return to campus.
Brothwell is a part-time biology department lecturer at Long Beach State and a former adjunct at Saddleback College in the South Orange County Community College.
While his employment status at CSULB remains unclear, Brothwell is no longer employed at Saddleback, according to a statement released on March 7, 2025.
An archived CSULB website directory indicates that Brothwell previously occupied an office in the Hall of Science facility. Photo credit: Wayback Machine.
“The individual in question is no longer employed with the college or district. While we cannot comment further on this personnel matter, we took immediate action and are cooperating with appropriate authorities as they investigate this case,” the statement said.
The Current contacted the Long Beach Police Department but were redirected to the same statement provided by Saddleback College.
According to Brothwell’s LinkedIn, he was previously employed at Huntington Beach Union High School District.
The r/orangecounty Reddit page attracted multiple students claiming to attend CSULB, several of whom shared their past and current interactions with the professor.
“I spend my time volunteering to catch online predators … I’ve seen a lot of comments from people stating, ‘You should just let the cops do their job,’” Tim Johnson, the person behind the “People v. Preds” account.
Johnson said that the Saddleback College Police Department had not approached Brothwell after the confrontation, leading Johnson to express concern that the professor could have time to delete evidence.
A student who wishes to remain anonymous, fearing possible defamation, is worried about how the incident will affect the semester. The student is taking an asynchronous class from Brothwell and is unsure if the credit will still count toward his degree.
“All I can say is this revelation is quite shocking, and I’m quite worried about how the school will handle this; not only for those he’s allegedly taken advantage of, but for the rest of the class and how the remainder of this course will be handled,” the anonymous student said.
CSULB has removed the nameplate from Brothwell’s previous office in the Hall of Science. Another biology lecturer, who asked to not be named, now occupies the space, according to a Current contributor.
Students enrolled in Brothwell’s courses will soon be assigned a new professor.
The office room inside the Hall of Science facility was once the office of the former lecturer, Eric Brothwell, who was accused of sexual misconduct. Photo credit: Jorge Hernandez
The Current contacted Brothwell concerning the allegations; however, he has not responded.
Jorge Hernandez contributed to this article.
Editor’s notes:
- Updated information on California Penal Code 288.3 at 4:41 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12.
- Removed the name of the professor who now occupies Eric Brothwell’s former office at 4:16 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11.
- Corrected Eric Brothwell’s previous employer from Huntington Beach City School District to Huntington Beach Union High School District at 10:33 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11.
- Redacted and blurred potentially sensitive information in two photos and their captions at 2:09 p.m. on Monday, March 10.
- Corrected misspelled name for Jeffrey D. Cook at 9:27 p.m. on Sunday, March 9.
- Fixed link placement of Saddleback College’s statement at 4:29 p.m. on Sunday, March 9.
