Accused child killer now charged with elder abuse and allegedly owned guns to benefit street gang

June 12--A Bakersfield man charged -- along with his girlfriend -- in the death of her 2-year-old son allegedly stole $1,200 from his grandfather two months before the boy's death, and authorities in that investigation found weapons including a homemade assault rifle in his room, according to court documents.

Kaleb Kessinger, 20, owned the weapons for the benefit of the West Side Crips and is an associate of the gang, the newly filed documents say.

On Monday, prosecutors filed additional charges against Kessinger, who already faces murder, among other charges, in connection with the April death of Ramon Angel Reyes-Chavez. Kessinger and his girlfriend, Ayled Chavez, 19, are accused of killing the boy and dumping his body in the Kern River Canyon.

According to a probable cause declaration filed by Bakersfield police, Kessinger took his 87-year-old grandfather to a store on Feb. 12. He stole his grandfather's wallet then fled the store, the declaration says, leaving his grandfather behind.

Officers, finding Kessinger was on probation, conducted a search of his residence.

According to the declaration, they found the following: a stolen Glock .40-caliber handgun; an 80 percent homemade .223-caliber assault rifle with a loaded detachable magazine and pistol grip; an AK-47-style 7.62-caliber rifle with a loaded detachable magazine; a loaded 12-gauge shotgun; and numerous rounds of ammunition.

A photograph of a West Side Crips member who had died was on the wall of Kessinger's bedroom, along with other items related to the gang, according to the declaration. It says Kessinger has "numerous contacts" with West Side Crips members.

"It is believed Kessinger is a member/associate of the West Side Crip criminal street gang, and had the firearms in benefit of, at the direction of or the association of the West Side Crip criminal street gang," the declaration says.

Roughly two months after this incident, authorities say, Kessinger fatally injured Ramon after the boy was left in his care while Chavez went out to dinner with a friend. Chavez told investigators they drove into the canyon and dumped the body, but returned the same afternoon to bury the corpse.

She took detectives to where Ramon was buried the morning of April 26, and was taken into custody. Kessinger, who had evaded police the night before, was arrested the next day at a motel on Oak Street.

Both are charged with first-degree murder and face life terms in prison if convicted. They're due in court Wednesday.

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