Arrest in Glendale
Calese Crowder, 39, was arrested by the Glendale Police Department after authorities responded to reports of suspicious behavior at two businesses, according to the New York Post. Police were called to an unidentified business on Glenoaks Boulevard shortly after 3:30 m. Friday, where a man was spotted crouched in the aisles and appeared to be "sniffing someone out," police said, as reported by KTLA. A second call came from a Marshalls store on Brand Boulevard and Broadway, reporting a similar incident. Surveillance footage from both locations identified Crowder as the suspect, and he was subsequently located and arrested on suspicion of violating his parole.
The Daily Express reported that Jimmy Koh, the manager of Big Sav Discount Store in Glendale, raised concerns about Crowder's behavior. Koh told ABC7 Eyewitness News that it was the third time he had seen Crowder engage in the behavior, describing how Crowder would crouch near women and attempt to sniff them. Koh recalled his initial reaction: "Crouching down like he normally would, and he'll just look around and try to take the chance to sniff like any woman's butt. The first time I caught him, I was like, what is this guy doing? He looks creepy." CCTV footage from the store showed Crowder crouching near female customers with their backs turned.
Background and prior incidents
Crowder, a registered sex offender, has a history of similar allegations in the Burbank and Glendale areas, according to the New York Post. In August 2025, he was arrested following an alleged incident at a Walgreens store in Burbank, as reported by the Daily Express. The New York Post also noted that about a month earlier, Crowder was arrested after an incident at the Empire Center shopping complex, where police were called to a Nordstrom Rack after reports of a man loitering in the women's department. Surveillance footage showed Crowder following a female shopper and crouching behind her, with Burbank police saying he was "engaging in lewd behavior by inappropriately sniffing her buttocks." He was later found at a nearby Walmart.
The New York Post reported that Crowder was already on parole for a string of similar incidents dating back to 2021. In September 2025, he was ordered to serve 135 days in Los Angeles County Jail after admitting that he violated his parole, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Current status
Crowder is currently held without bail pending a court decision, according to the Daily Express. The New York Post reported that he will remain behind bars until his hearing. The investigation into the latest incidents is ongoing.