{"id":350399,"date":"2026-06-07T08:52:40","date_gmt":"2026-06-07T08:52:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/350399\/"},"modified":"2026-06-07T08:52:40","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T08:52:40","slug":"vile-past-of-bank-robber-bomber-and-why-he-was-booted-from-military","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/350399\/","title":{"rendered":"Vile past of bank robber bomber \u2013 and why he was booted from military"},"content":{"rendered":"

The bank robber killed after strapping a bomb to body<\/a> and taking a group of people hostage during a marathon standoff in Bakersfield had a dark criminal history<\/a> of sex acts involving underage girls after running off during his short military career.<\/p>\n

FBI agents shot and killed Anthony Searles-Harris, 41, early Wednesday after he held 10 people hostage for 15 hours inside a Chase bank in the city\u2019s downtown.<\/p>\n

FBI agents shot and killed Anthony Searles-Harris, had a dark criminal history of sex acts with underage girls.<\/p>\n

Searles-Harris held 10 people hostage for 15 hours inside a Chase Bank in downtown Bakersfield. KBAK-KBFX<\/p>\n

FBI agents shot and killed Anthony Searles-Harris, 41, early Wednesday after he held 10 people hostage for 15 hours inside a Chase bank in the city\u2019s downtown. California Department of Justice<\/p>\n

In 2014, he was convicted of three heinous sex crimes against minors, including lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 and oral copulation with a minor under 14 with more than a 10-year age difference between offender and victim. Obtained by CA Post<\/p>\n

In 2014, he was convicted of three heinous sex crimes against minors, including lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 and oral copulation with a minor under 14 with more than a 10-year age difference between offender and victim.<\/p>\n

Searles-Harris was originally charged with a whopping 15 crimes, including several counts of making threats. <\/p>\n

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and forced to register as a sex offender, but a 2017 appeal led to a charge being dropped and he was released the following year.<\/p>\n

Police said he was frustrated with \u201ccertain elements\u201d of his case California Department of Justice<\/p>\n

The pervert\u2019s appeal revealed frightening aspects of the case, including how the convicted pedophile held \u201csex parties\u201d in the summer of 2011 where he handed out drugs and alcohol to minors. AP Photo\/David Dennis<\/p>\n

The pervert\u2019s appeal revealed frightening aspects of the case, including how the convicted pedophile held \u201csex parties\u201d in the summer of 2011 where he handed out drugs and alcohol to minors. <\/p>\n

He recorded a pair of underage females naked in a bathtub and offered them alcohol only if they participated in sex acts. Two male guests then entered the bathroom, court records showed, and the girls stopped because they were \u201calready uncomfortable enough as it was.\u201d<\/p>\n

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He also appeared to threaten the girls if they told anyone about \u201cwhat they were doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c[Searles-Harris] warned them that \u2018if [they] told anybody what he was doing or what [they] were doing\u2026he would kill [them],\u2019 court records showed. \u201cHe also mentioned \u2018he had already killed somebody before, he had buried them in his backyard,\u2019 and \u2018[they] would end up just like them if [they] said anything.’\u201d<\/p>\n

He also appeared to threaten the girls if they told anyone about \u201cwhat they were doing.\u201d Kern County<\/p>\n

In another instance, he allegedly offered a 13-year-old girl money and drugs \u201cif they \u2018made a video\u2019 for him taking a shower\u201d and engaging in a sex act. 23ABC News<\/p>\n

In another instance, he allegedly offered a 13-year-old girl money and drugs \u201cif they \u2018made a video\u2019 for him taking a shower\u201d and engaging in a sex act.<\/p>\n

Searles-Harris claimed in a nearly two-hour-long YouTube video<\/a> posted last year that he was framed and was innocent.<\/p>\n

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Searles-Harris claimed in a nearly two-hour-long YouTube video posted last year that he was framed and was innocent. Obtained by CA Post<\/p>\n

Law enforcement officials also said in a press conference Wednesday that Searles-Harris is \u201cno stranger to law enforcement and has a criminal history of using weapons to commit violent offenses.\u201d Kern County<\/p>\n

Anadolu via Getty Images<\/p>\n

During the standoff, one of the key negotiation terms Searles-Harris had was to obtain documents related to his case. Police said he was frustrated with \u201ccertain elements\u201d of his case.<\/p>\n

Before his arrest, Searles-Harris had a short stint in the US Army career from 2006 to 2007 before he was dishonorably discharged for going AWOL, or Absent Without Leave. It\u2019s unclear what he did in the military.<\/p>\n

Law enforcement officials also said in a press conference Wednesday that Searles-Harris is \u201cno stranger to law enforcement and has a criminal history of using weapons to commit violent offenses.\u201d<\/p>\n

One possible motivation for the crime was notoriety, officials said. He specifically asked about the FBI\u2019s involvement and appeared to want federal agents working the case.<\/p>\n

Witnesses revealed that Searles-Harris offered a chilling statement when he began the robbery.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a bad day to be at the bank,\u201d he said, according to a witness who spoke to KGET<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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