Full Breakdown
Repeated Arrests of Calese Crowden for Alleged Butt-Sniffing in Glendale and Burbank
9/1/2026, 11:43:47 PM
Core Event
A 39-year-old registered sex offender, Calese Crowden, was taken into custody in Glendale after employees at two local stores reported a man bending down near customers and attempting to sniff their buttocks. Police identified Crowden from surveillance footage and arrested him on suspicion of violating his parole. He is being held without bail pending a hearing.
Background & Context
Crowden’s alleged conduct dates back to 2021, when he first attracted police attention for lewd behavior in Glendale and Burbank. Over the ensuing years he accumulated multiple arrests for similar incidents, including a 2023 viral TikTok video showing him crouching behind a woman in a Barnes & Noble bookstore and claiming to be tying his shoe. In July 2025 he was detained after a report of suspicious activity in the women’s department of a Nordstrom Rack at the Burbank Empire Center, and a month later he faced another arrest following an alleged sniffing incident at a Walgreens in Burbank. Earlier arrests also involved a grocery store on Glenoaks Boulevard and a Marshalls clothing store, both in Glendale.
Data & Statistics
- Number of documented incidents: At least six separate reports of alleged butt-sniffing between 2021 and 2025.
- Parole violations: Crowden was sentenced to 99 days in jail for a parole violation in December 2025 and later received an additional 105-day sentence in April 2026 for subsequent violations.
- Criminal history: Records from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation show prior convictions for burglary, robbery, possession of a controlled substance, and a 2024 attempted first-degree burglary that resulted in a three-year sentence, later reduced by credit for time served.
Official Statements & Responses
The department confirmed that the arrest was made on suspicion of a parole violation and that the case will be forwarded to prosecutors for possible criminal charges.
Store manager Jimmy Koh, speaking after reviewing surveillance footage from the Big Sav Discount Store, characterized Crowden’s actions as a “weird fetish” and noted that this was the third time the individual had behaved similarly at that location.
On-the-Ground Reports
Witnesses at the Glenoaks Boulevard grocery store reported seeing Crowden bend down behind shoppers and attempt to sniff them. Similar accounts came from employees at the nearby Marshalls store, prompting 911 calls that led police to the suspect’s location on South Brand Boulevard. In the earlier Burbank incidents, victims recounted Crowden following them through aisles, crouching, and claiming he was tying his shoes while positioning himself inches from their backs.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The sources consistently describe the alleged behavior but differ on the exact number of arrests and the timing of each incident. Some reports cite a July 2025 arrest at Nordstrom Rack, while others reference a “last week” arrest without specifying the month. No detailed charging documents have been released, leaving the precise legal allegations and potential penalties unclear.
What’s Next
Crowden remains detained without bail. Prosecutors have not announced a trial date, but a hearing is expected in the coming weeks to determine further sentencing for the current parole-violation charge.
