Category: kesq-local-news

Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A Palm Springs man accused of sexually assaulting an underage girl, as well as multiple other cases of contacting other children offering illegal substances in exchange for sex, authorities announced on Monday.

Jesse James Garcia-Airada, 28, was arrested Thursday morning in the area of South Palm Canyon and Linden Way. Thermal Sheriff’s Station investigators also served a search warrant at Garcia-Airada’s residence, located in the 2800 block of Lawrence Crossley Road.

Garcia-Airada’s arrest came after initial report of sexual assault in May 2025.

“During the course of the investigation, it was learned the suspect had contacted multiple underage females and was offering illegal substances in exchange for sex. Investigators were able to identify multiple underage female victims throughout Riverside County,” reads a news release by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

Garcia-Airada was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center without bail and faces charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, along with additional child sexual assault related offenses.

Riverside Sheriff’s investigators believe there may be additional victims and are asking anyone with any additional information to contact Investigator Christine Davis-Arden at the Thermal Sheriff’s Station by calling (760) 863-8990.

Information can also be reported anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP (7867).

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Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A Palm Desert man was sentenced to prison for supplying a lethal dose of fentanyl to a 30-year-old man in 2022.

Gregory Michael Gauto, 39, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter Thursday and immediately sentenced to six years,

The case dates back to Sept. 26, 2022, when deputies responded to a report of a dead man at the 46900 block of state Route 74. The man, identified in court documents as Brandon Brower, was found dead from a suspected fentanyl poisoning.

After conducting the initial investigation, deputies turned the probe over to the Special Investigations Bureau Overdose Death Investigations and Narcotics Team, according to Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Master Investigator Robert Cornett.

After conducting the initial investigation, deputies turned the probe over to the Special Investigations Bureau Overdose Death Investigations and Narcotics Team, according to Cornett.

According to a declaration in support of Gauto’s arrest warrant filed by Cornett, investigators examined a cell phone and found messages from Brower asking an unidentified woman for fentanyl pills. When she says she’s stuck in Palm Springs, Brower allegedly starts to call Gauto.

“There were messages consistent with Gregory driving to Brandon’s house to trade fentanyl for Klonopins,” Cornett alleged in the warrant. “The messages show that Gregory arrived at Brandon’s house and he delivered the fentanyl to Brandon. Gregory even tells Brandon to ‘Be careful.'”

Brower had deleted all of the messages from his phone, but some were recovered by the department’s software, according to Cornett. Gauto was also allegedly found to be at Brower’s apartment at 4:16 a.m. Sept. 26, 2022, based on location services.

During an interview with Gauto, he allegedly mentioned that he was at Brower’s apartment that morning and got Klonopins from him, Cornett said. He also mentioned that one of his friends died from fentanyl, which was confirmed by the Coroner’s Bureau.

Cornett said he additionally found records of previous messages in which Gauto allegedly said that two or three of his friends died from fentanyl in the past years, prior to when Brower was provided the deadly dose.   

Gauto was arrested June 7, 2023 near the intersection of Plaza Way and Highway 111 in Palm Desert, according to inmate records. He was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio, where he remains held on $1 million bail.

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KESQ News Team

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Construction moved forward on the 2026 St. Jude Dream Home in Palm Desert as crews laid down the cement foundation on Thursday.

This is the 7th annual St. Jude Dream Home giveaway, a partnership between News Channel 3 and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to help families of children battling cancer.

The home is being built by GHA Companies inside the Silver Spur Ranch community in Palm Desert, walking distance from The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens.

Solis Concrete Company poured the concrete – Owner Christian Solis says of working with St. Jude, “This is actually a really big thing for us, you know, the whole company, and . . . it’s a pleasure, you know, it’s an honor to be working with the St. Jude Hospital with the children from there.”

When it’s finished, the home will be worth about $1.25 million. It’s a single-story home plan with three bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, an extra flex room, open floor plan, and a three car garage.

Tickets go on sale for $100 on December 5th. There will be a series of early prize deadlines leading up to the big giveaway on March 10th, 2026, live on News Channel 3.

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John White

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Sunday is the one-year anniversary of the historic Section 14 settlement approved by the Palm Springs City Council.

Just weeks ago the settlement of nearly $6 million from the city of Palm Springs to the group, Section 14 Survivors, was finalized. 

Coming up on Saturday, the organization is holding a summit, they say will be a celebration. It comes as a smaller group raises questions about the settlement, arguing it falls short of righting the wrongs of the past.

Tonight at 6 p.m., News Channel 3 anchor John White has an I-Team follow-up on how the fight is far from over for some.

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The next chapter of Desert X, the Coachella Valley outdoor art exhibition, will bring new changes to the sixth edition and 10th anniversary in 2027, officials announced today.

The exhibition will take place from Oct. 30, 2027 through May 7, 2028, which will extend its programming through winter and spring.   

Organizers said the expansion is part of a new format to embrace the desert’s climate, ecology that will allow artwork to align “with the desert’s natural rhythms” and will change and dissolve in tandem with the land itself.   

In addition, Desert X will overlap with numerous of the regions events, including Modernism Week, the Palm Springs International Film Festival and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival to land a new generation of people.

“Over the past decade, Desert X has evolved from an idea into a movement,” President and Founder of Desert X Susan Davis said. “Each edition has expanded our reach and deepened our relationships with artists, audiences and communities across the Coachella Valley and the world. As we enter our next decade, the same spirit of thoughtfulness, dialogue and delight that has guided us since our funding, will continue.”  

It will be curated by Artistic Director Neville Wakefield and Kaitlin Garcia-Maestas, who both curated the 2022 and 2025 editions.  

“Changing the ways in which we experience, see and talk about art is fundamental to Desert X’s mission. Establishing new paradigms also involves evolving our own, and as we prepare for the 2027 exhibition, I’m grateful to Kaitlin Garcia-Maestas for adding continuity to the journey of change,” Wakefield said.  

To adapt the new format, Melissa Netecke joined the organization as director of development.

Desert X has presented five exhibitions in the Coachella Valley since its inception in 2017.

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City News Service

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – With a storm expected to roll through the Coachella Valley this week, Imperial Irrigation District officials today said they will be prepared to respond for any possible service disruptions.

Get Local Weather Updates Here

Forecasters predict heavy rainfall with gusty winds will fall into the region starting Thursday evening, according to the National Weather Service.   

A flood watch will be in effect from 4 a.m. through 10 p.m. Saturday including in the cities of Cathedral City, La Quinta, Coachella, Indio, Palm Desert and Palm Springs.

In the Coachella Valley, temperature highs will be in the 80s Thursday with a nighttime lows in the upper 60s. For the rest of the week, daytime highs will be in the upper 60s and nighttime lows in the upper 50s. The strongest possible change for heavy rainfall will be Saturday, with precipitation at 80% between a quarter- and half-inch predicted, NWS said.   

IID officials said crews will respond to any power outages or disruptions if conditions will be safe enough to work.   

“Customers can rest assured that IID is ahead of this, working to minimize impacts and service interruptions that could occur due to this expected storm,” IID Power Manager Matt Smelser said.

Officials advise residents the following tips to be prepared ahead ofthe storm:   — Keep an emergency kit ready filled with flashlights, batteries, bottled water, medicine, a battery-operated radio and wind-up clock;   — Charge essential devices, including phones and tablets;   — Be familiar with service panel and main circuit breaker;   — Trim trees and clear debris away from power lines, and   — Avoid using electrical equipment when outside.

Customers can report power outages through IID’s mobile app, contacting customer service at 800-303-7756, or at www.iid.com/outage.

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Kendall Flynn

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – Local farmers and agriculture leaders gathered in Coachella Thursday to share the challenges they’ve been facing in the industry. From high labor costs, competition or imported goods and the lack of education on local farming, leaders are asking for change.

The main concern from local farmers is the high labor cost implemented in January of a $16.50 minimum wage with a 1.5% overtime pay. While they agree workers should be paid fairly, the high cost does not align with their profits because of imported competition.

Mexico is a leading source for importing in California because of the reduced cost for labor at between $4.50 and $6 per hour. When those goods are imported at a lower cost, locals feel California goods are forgotten.

They said this is also a concern because of the high quality of California agriculture. There are many strict regulations on agriculture, especially when it comes to pests or pesticides, that ensure the products are clean, and those same regulations are not on all imported goods.

Tonight on News Channel 3 local leaders in agriculture are sharing how they have to continue to innovate their practice to stay alive in the industry, and they’re asking for help from the community to shop local.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A traffic collision has led to a road closure near Ramon Road and El Placer in Palm Springs Thursday afternoon.

Details on the crash were not immeditely available; however, Palm Springs confirmed two vehicles were involved.

Police said three people were injured in the crash, including one person who is in critical condition.

Roads were closed for several hours, but reopened by 3 p.m.

Police said drugs and/or alcohol do not appear to be a factor at this time.

Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact the Palm Springs Police Department Traffic Division at 760-323-8125.

Stay with News Channel 3 for updates.

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Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Two people, including a wanted suspect, were taken into custody following an hours-long standoff in Indio on Thursday.

Police said a witness reported seeing a suspect wanted at around 10:30 a.m. near Sun Gold and Valencia Avenue. The suspect, a 30-year-old man, was wanted for allegedly striking his brother in the head with a crowbar and stabbing him several times with a knife.

IPD officers surrounded the residence where the suspect is believed to be located. Officers made multiple attempts to communicate with the suspect through a “surround and callout,” but the suspect did not exit the residence, resulting in a police standoff.

Desert Regional S.W.A.T. responded and assisted in efforts to take the suspect into custody safely. 

At around 1:30 p.m., the suspect exited the residence and was safely taken into custody without further incident. Roads were closed around the area, but all roads were back open by 2 p.m.

Police said the victim in the stabbing remains in stable condition in the hospital. The suspect faces attempted homicide charges.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Indio Police Department at (760) 391-4057 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (760) 341-STOP.

We’ll have the latest at Noon on News Channel 3.

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Jesus Reyes

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – A 68-year-old woman from Rancho Mirage has been reported missing, prompting a Silver Alert from the California Highway Patrol.

Jeri Chamberlain, 67, was last seen on Wednesday at 10:20 p.m. in the area of Mirage Cove Drive and Peterson Road.

She is described as five feet, five inches tall, weighing 124 pounds, with gray hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing a yellow sundress.

Chamberlain is believed to be on foot.

If see, CHP asks that you call 9-1-1.

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