Updated: Youth Instructor Arrested in Kidnapping
Monrovia resident Kelvin McFarland, who runs a boot camp fitness program for youth in Altadena and Pasadena, was arrested last week, police announced Tuesday.
The Pasadena Police Department has arrested a local youth boot camp instructor known to kids as "Sarge" after he allegedly handcuffed a truant 14-year-old and tried to demand money for his services from the boy's parents.
Kelvin McFarland, 41, of Monrovia, was arrested on May 27 on charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, child abuse, extortion and unlawful use of a badge in the case.
According to the Pasadena Police Department, McFarland took the youth to his parent's home after handcuffing him and demanded money for transporting him. He also tried to get the parents to enroll the kid in his after school program.
McFarland runs the Family 1st Growth Camp, according to the police, which they described as a "boot camp" style program. The department's press release lists the program as serving both Altadena and Pasadena, and several online directories list it as an Altadena business.
McFarland is being held in lieu of $285,000 in bail and has a June 13 preliminary hearing scheduled, according to a department press release.
Updated 11:45 p.m: Lt. Phlunte Riddle of the Pasadena Police Department said that the person who filed the complaint about McFarland told detectives that he had successfully extorted money before releasing the child to his parents.
She noted that the 14-year-old victim did not suffer any injuries in the case.
Riddle said she is aware of at least two other instructors who work with local youth who go by the nickname "Sarge," but said she was not familiar with McFarland before his arrest.
Cynthia C. Jones
10:14 am on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
I'm very familiar with Sarge and his program, and find this article very troubling! I would rather hear both sides of the story before passing judgment on this man and his characte! I know him to be a person of great integrity, whose main goal is to steer wayward youth in the right direction. Until I hear to the contrary, he is INNOCENT until proven guilty. This IS America, afterall, and that's the way justice is served.
Cynthia C. Jones, Altadena Resident
Dan Abendschein
10:32 am on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Hi Cynthia. I do hope to hear the defendant's side of the story in this case, and that will be possible with the upcoming court hearing on June 13.
e.
10:56 am on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
He is 1SGT Mac. Their is another Sarge, in Pasadena, and we don't want to get them mixed up.
I am sure his heart was in the right place, he just made a stupid decision. To be honest, I feel as though he targeted a specific population of families, to "assist".
Dan Abendschein
11:01 am on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Thanks for making that point. There is indeed another guy named "Sarge" who dresses in fatigues and has a youth program (lots of coincidences). I hope the photo will clear up the difference between those two for anybody who has met him.
Cynthia C. Jones
1:11 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
I just found out that the "Sarge" I thought this article addressed is NOT the Sarge I know and have known for many years!! The "Sarge" I know, Keith Gibbs, is an outstanding public servant and has been working earnestly to assist young people to make positve decisions through his program. I've asked a mutual friend to please call Sarge Keith Gibbs to let him know that many others may make the same mistake I initially made, and protect his stellar reputation!
That being said, I pray that THIS "Sarge" is given an opportunity to fully excerise his right to due process.
Dan Abendschein
1:17 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
I believe Keith Gibbs is the "Sarge" most people are familiar with. I was not sure whether it was better to mention his name or not, but to reiterate for any readers familiar with this "Sarge," Keith Gibbs is NOT the person who was arrested for kidnapping.
Lori A. Webster
6:51 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Channel 5 News was here a couple hours ago because McFarland was using our street address (claimed to have a personal mail box here, which I can't confirm or deny because of confidentiality issues). They apparently filmed us while they were talking to us, without our knowledge. I wasn't aware there are two Sarges.....I was thinking of Mr. Gibbs when they asked me if I knew "Sarge". Oy.
Dan Abendschein
8:18 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
@Lori - Oye, that's too bad. It is an easy mistake to make though. How many boot camp instructors named Sarge who wear camo fatigues do most communities have?
liza
7:59 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
He tried to get me and my friends to go to his program! We were all getting into a van in pasadena for school and he approached our teacher and told us that some of the girls at my all girls school have already been enrolled in his program before! We all knew he was lying because our school is very small and we would have known if someone went to bootcamp.
He was kind of aggressive in trying to get us to enlist!
ANGEL
4:19 pm on Saturday, June 11, 2011
HE DONT FORCE NOBODY TO BE IN HIS PROGRAM. FAMILY 1ST IS NOT A BOOTCAMP ITS A GROWTH CAMP. AND FAMILY1ST IS KNOWN ALL OVER PASADENA, LOS ANGELES, EL MONTE, WE EVEN HAVE PEOPLE FROM SAN DIMAS, DOWNTOWN LA..EVEN POLICE FROM EVERY CITY KNOW HIM AND KNOW WHAT HE DOES COURTS KNOW HIM, DECECTIVES KNOW HIM..SCHOOLS AND COURTS RECOMMEND THIS PROGRAM TO EVRYBODY WHO NEEDS IT. YOU ARE PROBLY TALKING ABOUT SGT GIBBS, SOME ONE WAY DIFFRENT!!
Victor
8:50 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
My wife and her family used to be in the program and he try to arrest me for 10 years and he act really aggressive with me because my wife was young he act like if he was a cop... But when I told him I was with my loyal he just stop bugging me..... I'M sorry I don't speak a perfect ingles..... I'm really glad he's arrested I was really scared by the way he treat me.......
ANGEL
4:12 pm on Saturday, June 11, 2011
NO YOU ARE REALLY CONFUSING 1ST SGT MAC WITH SGT GIBBS TWO WAY DIFFRENT PEOPLE
e.
9:38 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Victor, I am so sorry to hear about what you have experienced. Also please do NOT apologize for your English. This is my point, I think he targeted parents who did not speak or understand English very well. He would also have other Spanish speaking parents "recruit" parents like them.
This man, and HIS WIFE, knew EXACTLY what kind of scam they were running.
After some investigation, I found out, he required families to pay more than 250 dollars a month, just to be apart of his program.
ANGEL
4:07 pm on Saturday, June 11, 2011
I WORK WITH FAMILY 1ST ..IM 1ST SRGT MAC'S SON AND I WANNA TELL U THAT THE MEMBERSHIP PAYMENTS GOES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY TO FEED THE HOMELESS AND TO HAVE EVENTS FOR THE FAMILIES IN THE PROGRAM..FOR EXAMPLE "HOMELES FOR THE NIGHT".
FAMILY 1ST FEEDS THE HOMLESS IN PASADENA 2 TIMES A MONTH.
ANGEL
3:30 pm on Saturday, June 11, 2011
NO ALL THESE STORIES ARE LIES YOU ARE CONFUSING 1ST SGT MAC WITH ANOTHER SARGE... MY STEP DAD IS NOT LIKE THAT IVE BEEN IN HIS PROGRAM AND ITS NOTHING LIKE THAT
WE NEED HIM HOME HIS FAMILY NEEDS HIM FAMILY 1ST NEEDS HIM!!!!!!!!
we-lve_mac
8:08 pm on Sunday, June 12, 2011
All families from Family 1st NEED 1st sgt MAC. We love him and respect him couse he make the difference in our lifes.
we-lve_mac
8:39 pm on Sunday, June 12, 2011
la comunidad LATINA apolla a 1st Sgt MAC. He help and support our kids. My son was failing all his classes now he is passing with A's and b's, couse like he said "failing is NOT an option"
jorge balvaneda
9:16 pm on Sunday, June 12, 2011
i am a volunteer at family 1st for a while now and sargent mac has tought me alot if it wasnt for him i wouldnt be the person i am now and we need sargent mac and so does his wife and kids sargent mac is a good person and he doesnt deserve this WE LOVE 1ST SGT MAC
Balvaneda family
9:37 pm on Sunday, June 12, 2011
im anthony balvaneda and sargent mac is a good person the first time i saw him i thought he was mean and after a while i can say he help kids and help me and families together now i graduated and ive been almost two years in family 1st and now im a voluteer and sargent mac doesnt only help kids he helps kids and families no matter what and im 10 years old and i love sargent mac and im sure my family does too and we will be here for sargent mac no matter what because thats what he tought us that family is first and he's family WE LOVE HIM ALOT AND WE WANT HIM TO COME BACK HOME WITH HIS FAMILY
roxana olmos
10:04 pm on Sunday, June 12, 2011
my name is roxana olmos i have 4 kids i heard alot of good things of sargent mac i was glad to meet him at church when he was giving out toys for every kid that was there without him my kids would not of hadden toys for christmas and i heard when he told his cadet it feels good to give then to get and he was teaching them good things im not part of the program and in the future ill be glad to be part of the program because he is a person that teaches kids and teenagers to give i am sad for everything thats happening to him because he is a person that helps others and thank god to have a person like sargent mac and god bless him and his family
Brandon Estrada
10:52 pm on Sunday, June 12, 2011
My name is Brandon Estrada, I've been in sergeant McFarlands growth camp (not boot camp) for almost nine months. I strongly disagree with all the negative comments that everyone has been posting about him for the past few days. I believe sergeant McFarland is just as much of a great man as Sergeant Keith Gibbs is. I really believe he was trying to help the girl just as he has help me along with my younger brother, the other cadets, and their families. I ensure that if anyone who reads this would of known me before I was in his program you would see a huge change in me from being sober off drugs to coming home from parties in the middle of the night risking getting a beating or maybe worse. I can say that alot of the cadets would of done what ever they could to get out of the program and I feel as if thats what the victim was trying to prevent. We all know that both sergeants do what they do to help the community become a safer place for everyone. Bottom line these men are great people for doing what they do and I believe that sergeant McFarland tried to overcome a bad future for the victim and her family. So I do think everything was all a misunderstanding and i do believe he is INNOCENT!
jose balvaneda
5:49 pm on Monday, June 13, 2011
I am Jose Balvaneda and i help and volunteer at First Sgt Mac growth camp im am also in Pasadena Navy njrotc. He has tought me lot and motivated me in school and out side of school.His motivation has got me motivated and i have brought my grades up.Before i did not know First Sgt Mac I used to mess around not go to class.Then first sgt came into my live and changed everything about me physicly and mentally.I have been with family first over a year now and i like every thing about the growth camp.I will be with him no matter what and he is innocent. WE ALL LOVE FIRST SGT MAC AND WE ARE ALL GOING TO BE WITH HIM NO MATTER WHAT OORAH!!
Fabiola
6:17 pm on Monday, June 13, 2011
This is only Goanna make family 1st stronger<3
Fabiola
6:22 pm on Monday, June 13, 2011
Head up guys, we know the reall sarget Mac he nothing too what these negative people are saying,
jorge balvaneda
7:10 pm on Monday, June 13, 2011
ill always will be here for sargent mac
Dennis
5:56 am on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
SEND him to prison. Protect our children from this impostor! He's obviously a Crock. Why defend a man who is obviously trying to simply MAKE MONEY. Today you can all defend him, but tomorrow when you kid becomes molested you will think different. Family 1st? YEAH right.
Dennis
6:46 am on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Dont you think that if he really wanted to "help" he'd give his "services" for free! Dont mean to sterio type but was he only targeting the ignorants? Maybe families who are most likely immigrants and fear his man could of turned them in so paid cost. Seems suspicious, nontheless I say make him pay for his uncalled actions. If this were my kid, I'd too make him go to jail. Handcuffs? I see all those parents defending him have been fed with his lies. Hes not licensed to do something like this. Hes a FAKE and he must PAY!
jordana
6:18 pm on Friday, June 17, 2011
hey dennis and family second..i agree with u whole heartedly..FAKE sgt mac has turned the bootcamp into an all mexican camp whereas at first it was a mixed camp of all different races..all the people that are rallying around him are mexicans that have very little to no education and cannot speak a lick of english..WOW!! i guess he felt as though he could get more money from the mexicans and they look at him as some sort of god..i for one am glad he is on his way to a place that no one wants to be in..this is very entertaining and he is getting what he deserves....june 29th cannot get here quick enough for me..please believe it this man is not all what he is cracked up to be and the ones who are worshiping him like some foolish idol will soon see and the joke will ultimately be on you..
Fabby
7:36 pm on Thursday, June 16, 2011
Wow^___- why speak if you font even know what's going on!?0____ o god bless u!!!! Your no one too judge!!
family second
12:12 pm on Friday, June 17, 2011
wow, Arguing against reducing McFarland's bail, Deputy District Attorney Carolina Lugo disclosed a 2005 misdemeanor conviction for prostitution.
She also pointed out other blemishes on McFarland's criminal record, including a 2000 arrest and plea of no contest to misdemeanor battery; a 2005 conviction for driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license; a 2009 arrest and plea of no contest to driving with a suspended license; and a June 3 plea of no contest for driving with a suspended license.
Read more: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_18273811#ixzz1PYuXnksq
family second
12:28 pm on Friday, June 17, 2011
dennis i agree with you,if the charges are true< looking at his background he doesnt seem to know from right or wrong,i think mcfarland should enroll in a family first progam himself
jordana
6:20 pm on Friday, June 17, 2011
the first place he should go is to AA and do it right instead of perpetrating to these people who do not know any better..this man is a joke...OMGEEEE!!!