A man who was arrested last August near Louise Van Meter Elementary School on suspicion of acting inappropriately around children—and then released—turned himself in to Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police this afternoon after a warrant was issued for his capture.
John Alan Hale is facing six counts of annoying or molesting a minor. Each carries a potential fine of up to $5,000 or a county jail term of up to a year (or both).
“Today’s arrest stems from an investigation conducted by the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department in partnership with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office related to an incident that occurred on the morning of August 28, 2025,” a spokesperson for LGMSPD wrote on Instagram.
The Los Gatan was there that morning, around 8am, as police began to piece together the story.
Officers had received a report of a fight along Los Gatos Boulevard between Nino and Spencer avenues.
“Upon arrival, officers learned that the altercation involved an individual who had reportedly been seen filming juveniles with his cellular phone,” the spokesperson wrote in today’s social media post. “That individual was identified as Suspect Hale.”
(Dan Pulcrano / Instagram)
While on the scene, the Los Gatan spoke to a parent who identified himself as Khalid; he said Hale was acting in a manner that suggested he was taking upskirt pictures.
Khalid said he chased after Hale and held him until police arrived—adding the suspect even punched and bit him.
LGMSPD announced 63-year-old Hale had been “taken into custody on charges related to annoying and harassing minors and battery.”
In the immediate aftermath, Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department released a statement that stated “the investigation revealed that Hale had attempted to temporarily restrain a juvenile in the course of his actions and therefore he is being charged with attempted kidnapping.”
However, attempted kidnapping was not one of the crimes listed in today’s post.
“Following the initial investigation, the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department submitted the case to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office and based on evidence collected during the course of the investigation, an arrest warrant was subsequently authorized and issued this week,” the Instagram update reads.
Hale was booked into county jail at 4:36pm and was still in custody at 10pm, with bail not yet set.
Anyone with additional information related to this incident or the suspect is encouraged to contact LGMSPD Det. Heather Murphy at 408-824-3228.
*With files from Dan Pulcrano
