The founder of the sober-living residence where Presley Gerber died was twice convicted of misdemeanor drug possession more than two decades before opening the Santa Monica facility.
Reza Nabavi, founder of Resolutions Living and Resolutions Therapeutic Services, was arrested twice in 2002 and later had an application for psychology registration denied by the California Board of Psychology, according to official records reviewed by Page Six.
Nabavi eventually obtained a California psychologist license and remains licensed today. His earlier criminal and regulatory history has received renewed attention following Gerber’s Sept. 20 death at Resolutions Living, where the 27-year-old had arrived the previous evening.
The Santa Monica Police Department is investigating Gerber’s death as a suspected overdose and has said there is no indication of foul play. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not determined an official cause or manner of death, and there is no public finding that Nabavi’s past conduct caused or contributed to Gerber’s death.
Gerber Died the Morning After Arriving at Resolutions Living
Santa Monica police responded to the 1000 block of Berkeley Street at approximately 9:35 a.m. on Sept. 20 following a report of a possible overdose. Gerber was pronounced dead at the location.
TMZ reported that Gerber had arrived at Resolutions Living the previous evening and, according to sources who said they had contact with him, appeared to be under the influence of a substance. Toxicology results have not established what, if anything, was in his system at the time of his death.
The type of facility where he was staying has also received scrutiny. The California Department of Health Care Services told TMZ that it has no record of Resolutions Living operating as a licensed residential substance-use disorder treatment facility.
The agency said publicly available information indicates that the program operates as a sober-living environment or recovery residence, which does not require a DHCS license and is not subject to the same state oversight as a licensed residential treatment program.
Nabavi Pleaded No Contest to Two Misdemeanor Drug Charges in 2002
According to records cited by Page Six, Oakland police found Nabavi, then 25, asleep in a car in February 2002 with a 15-year-old girl who told officers she was under the influence of methamphetamine and did not know him well. Officers reported finding methamphetamine, marijuana, a handgun, ammunition and a hunting knife during a search of the vehicle.
Nabavi pleaded no contest in May 2002 to misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and received 36 months of probation.
Later that month, he was arrested again after allegedly agreeing to sell methamphetamine to an informant. Police reported finding methamphetamine, marijuana and a glass pipe when they searched him. Nabavi pleaded no contest in June to another misdemeanor controlled-substance possession charge and again received 36 months of probation.
California Psychology Regulators Later Placed Him on Probation
Nabavi applied to the California Board of Psychology in 2004 after earning his doctorate in clinical psychology. Page Six reported that his application was denied that September on grounds including his criminal convictions, controlled-substance use and conduct the board considered substantially related to psychology practice.
He was later permitted to register as a psychological assistant under probationary conditions. A 2006 California Board of Psychology disciplinary report shows that Nabavi’s registration was revoked but the revocation was stayed, allowing him to continue under five years of probation. The board identified a conviction substantially related to the practice of psychology as the basis for the action.
Reported probation requirements included monitoring by a licensed psychologist, participation in a drug and alcohol recovery program, treatment and random drug and alcohol testing.
Nabavi subsequently obtained his psychologist license, and his probation was terminated early in 2008. His current California license is listed as active through June 30, 2028.
Gerber Had Publicly Discussed Seeking Treatment Before His Death
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Gerber had spoken publicly about addiction, mental health and efforts to seek treatment before his death.
In March, he shared footage from Mexico while preparing to undergo an ibogaine treatment and wrote about trying to confront problems he had previously avoided. He described being frightened before the treatment while expressing hope that it could help him make lasting changes.
There is currently no official evidence connecting that earlier treatment to his death six months later. The Medical Examiner completed an autopsy after Gerber died but deferred the cause and manner while additional testing, including toxicology, is completed.