Calese Crowder, 39, was arrested in Glendale on Aug. 28 after surveillance tied him to alleged sniffing incidents at two stores. Police say footage from a West Glenoaks Boulevard business and a Marshalls on South Brand Boulevard/E. Broadway identified Crowder, who is being held without bail on a parole violation. Crowder has faced more than 40 prior arrests and drew national attention in 2023 after a viral Barnes & Noble TikTok. He previously admitted a parole violation and was sentenced to 135 days in jail in 2025.
Alleged Serial 'Butt Sniffer' Calese Crowder Arrested Again in Glendale After Surveillance Links Two Stores
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Calese Crowder, a 39-year-old registered sex offender, was taken into custody in Glendale on Aug. 28 after police say surveillance footage linked him to similar reported incidents at two separate stores.
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According to authorities, officers were first called about 3:30 p.m. to a business on West Glenoaks Boulevard after a man inside was seen "hunkered down," getting uncomfortably close to customers and appearing to try to smell them. A second call soon followed reporting similar behavior at a Marshalls near South Brand Boulevard and East Broadway.
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Investigators examined surveillance from both locations, identified Crowder in the footage and located him shortly afterward on South Brand Boulevard. He was arrested on suspicion of violating parole and is being held without bail, officials said.
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Pattern Of Alleged Behavior
Police and local reports say the alleged conduct — following shoppers, crouching behind them and sniffing their backsides — dates back to 2021. Crowder's record reportedly includes more than 40 prior arrests and separate allegations of peeping and prowling, with many incidents occurring in the same area of Los Angeles County.
Crowder gained widespread attention in August 2023 after a TikTok video showed him crouched behind a woman at a Barnes & Noble in Burbank; when confronted he told the woman he was tying his shoes. The clip went viral and prompted a police arrest after it circulated online.
Despite viral exposure and multiple arrests, reports say similar incidents continued. During the summer of 2025, authorities say Crowder was arrested twice within two months. In one alleged episode, Nordstrom Rack surveillance reportedly captured him following a shopper through the women’s department before dropping behind her; Burbank police described the footage as showing him "engaging in lewd behavior by inappropriately sniffing her buttocks." Officers later located him at a nearby Walmart. By September 2025 he admitted violating parole and was sentenced to 135 days in Los Angeles County Jail.
All allegations remain those reported by law enforcement and local outlets. Crowder is entitled to due process as the case proceeds. Police urge shoppers who see suspicious behavior to report it immediately to help protect the community.
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