Sober Living Owner's Criminal Past Revealed

The psychologist who runs the sober living facility where Presley Gerber died has a criminal history involving drugs and a minor, according to a report published Thursday by Page Six. The disclosure raises new questions about oversight of the recovery residence connected to Gerber's death.

Dr. Reza Nabavi was taken into custody in February 2002 after Oakland police discovered him asleep in his vehicle in an area known for what authorities described as frequent narcotic and prostitution activity, Page Six reported. A 15-year-old girl was with him at the time. She told officers she was under the influence of methamphetamine and did not know Nabavi well, according to the report. Nabavi was 25 years old at the time of the arrest.

A search of the vehicle turned up methamphetamine, marijuana, a firearm, ammunition and a hunting knife, according to Page Six.

In May 2002, Nabavi entered a no contest plea to a misdemeanor count of possessing a controlled substance and received a sentence of 36 months of probation. Later that same month, he was arrested a second time after he agreed to sell methamphetamine to an informant, Page Six reported. He again pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor controlled substance possession charge and was sentenced to another 36 months of probation.

Two years after those convictions, Nabavi sought registration as a psychologist with the California Board of Psychology, according to Page Six. The board rejected his application because of the conviction. He ultimately obtained a license through another path, but it was suspended on a temporary basis in 2006, when he was placed on probation for five years, as previously reported.

Nabavi's current psychologist license is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2028, according to state records cited in the report.

The revelations come as scrutiny intensifies around sober living homes and the credentials of the people who operate them. California does not require sober living facilities to be licensed, and operators are not automatically barred from the field based on criminal history unless a professional license is involved. In Nabavi's case, the state Board of Psychology initially denied his application but later granted him a license that remains active.