By F. Scott Faulkner
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY – May 10, 2025 – A month-long investigation into the activities of a local area youth pastor has ended with his
arrest on multiple felony charges involving the possession and distribution of child exploitation
images.
On the morning of May 9, 2025, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies took 42-year-old Shaun
Donald Hertlein, of Goleta, into custody following an investigation that began in April when
detectives first learned he was in possession of lewd images featuring minor children.
Hertlein, whose occupation is listed as pastor in jail booking records, was identified as the prime
suspect after detectives traced communications and explicit material allegedly sent to a minor.
According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Raquel
Zick, he now faces “several felony charges, including sending harmful matter to a child,
communicating with a minor with the intent to commit an offense, and possession of child sexual
abuse material.”
Hertlein had regular access to minors through two positions in the community: working with
children at a local church and serving as an assistant freshman football coach. Both roles,
“placed him in direct and repeated contact with young people.”
Hertlein was booked into the Santa Barbara County Main Jail, where he remains in custody with
his bail set at $500,000.
