Brian Hawkins, a San Jacinto councilmember and congressional candidate, was arrested July 2 by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department on allegations of assaulting two children.
The city of San Jacinto issued a statement on Facebook expressing its willingness to cooperate with authorities if requested during the investigation.
"The Riverside County Sheriff's Department and Riverside County District Attorney's Office notified the city of San Jacinto of the arrest of city Councilmember Brian Hawkins," the Facebook statement said.
The sheriff's department took Hawkins, 44, into custody July 2 for allegedly committing an assault on two children, Riverside County Sgt. Anthony Pelato said in a department news release. Investigators from the Hemet-San Jacinto Sheriff's Station and Special Victims Unit have assumed the investigation, which is ongoing at this time.
"As this is an ongoing criminal investigation, the city of San Jacinto is unable to provide further details or comment on the matter at this time; however, the city takes the allegations against Mr. Hawkins seriously," The Facebook statement continued. "The city has agreed to assist in the investigation should assistance be requested."
Inmate records show Hawkins is being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center with bail set at $200,000. According to county jail records, Hawkins is facing four felony counts of assault with great bodily injury as well as child abuse charges.
Deputies from the San Jacinto Sheriff's Department responded to a residence in the 400 block of Mistletoe Avenue in San Jacinto 12:39 p.m., Pelato said in the release. While he does not detail the events that occurred, Pelato said the caller told authorities Hawkins had "committed an assault on two children at the location."
Hawkins secured his seat on the San Jacinto City Council in November of 2020, according to a report by KESQ. His term was set to conclude in December 2024. The article referenced Hawkins' Facebook page, which said he also serves as the senior pastor at Divine Appointment Worship Center in San Jacinto.
Additionally, in 2022, Hawkins competed against Democratic Rep. Raul Ruiz for the 25th Congressional seat, encompassing a significant portion of the Coachella Valley, KESQ said. Ultimately, Ruiz emerged victorious with 56% of the vote. Hawkins announced in May that he would run for Congress again in 2024 for the 41st Congressional District.