A Santa Monica woman experienced a horrifying awakening when she discovered a homeless man next to her bed, engaged in a lewd act. In the early hours of February 27, the 80-year-old resident of the 2400 block of 2nd Street was startled awake by Anthony Romero, 28, who had broken into her home and was openly masturbating while touching her face. Following the unsettling event, the victim screamed for the intruder to leave and promptly secured herself before contacting the authorities, as recounted in a FOX 11 interview.
Matching security footage to witness description, police identified the trespasser as Romero, a man with a history of criminal conduct including charges of shoplifting, public intoxication, and battery on a police officer. Romero was spotted on March 1 by Santa Monica Police, at around 9:22 a.m. in the 400 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, according to a report by KTLA. Utilizing the support of a drone and K9 units, officers were able to detain Romero without further incidents.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has since charged Romero with felony burglary and felony indecent exposure, with the severity of the charges stemming from his actions during the invasion, considering the indecent nature of his behavior during the burglary an aggravating factor. "The climate right now is changing," the victim told FOX 11, acknowledging the growing desperation in society. She also expressed her intentions to enhance her home security following the ordeal.
Romero, who has prior arrest records and was on parole for a weapons violation at the time of his recent capture, is slated for a preliminary hearing this April. Santa Monica Police are now seeking additional information from the public. Detective McCoy is the contact for tips related to the case and can be reached at [email protected], as stated in the KTLA report.
