A registered sex offender who exposed himself to two teenagers in northwest Bakersfield has been sentenced to prison.

John Searls, 37, was sentenced March 13 to six years in prison after pleading no contest to a charge of indecent exposure.

It happened in June 2023 when Searls pulled his car up neat to two girls who were out for a walk and began masturbating.

One of the girls used her phone to record Searles and gave the video, along with a description of his car, to police.

In 2017, Searls was convicted of attempted kidnapping and indecent exposure and was sentenced to six years and six months in prison. The victim in that case was also a juvenile.