Calese Crowder, the Burbank man who gained notoriety and the unflattering nickname “butt sniffer” after a series of public run-ins in and around local stores, is back behind bars in Los Angeles County. Glendale police placed a parole hold on Crowder on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, and he is now being held in county jail following a run of retail encounters in 2025 that drew wide attention and plenty of online outrage.
Arrest, parole hold, and official action
Glendale police told NBC Los Angeles that officers arrested 39-year-old Crowder on recent parole violations, and that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Division of Adult Parole Operations has petitioned to recommend revocation of his parole. According to NBC Los Angeles, Crowder was arrested in July 2025 at a Burbank Nordstrom Rack and again in August 2025 after allegedly sniffing a woman’s behind inside a Walgreens store in Burbank. He is being held in the Los Angeles County Jail without bail and was expected to have a court appearance later in April. Authorities said Crowder had been out on parole after a prior burglary conviction when the series of new incidents began.
Retail incidents that sparked attention
One of the key episodes unfolded at the Nordstrom Rack at the Empire Center, where surveillance video allegedly showed a man following and inappropriately sniffing a female shopper, according to the Los Angeles Times. The same incident was detailed in a local account that tied Crowder to suspicious behavior reported at both the Burbank Nordstrom Rack and a nearby Walmart. An earlier viral video from 2023 had already put a spotlight on concerns about a pattern of lewd conduct in area stores, so by the time the 2025 cases surfaced, many shoppers felt like they were watching a bad sequel.
Parole revocation and what comes next
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation can place a parole hold while it investigates alleged violations and may petition a court to revoke parole, with hearings and timing governed by agency rules, according to the CDCR. A parole hold typically keeps a person in custody while officials and the courts decide whether to return them to state prison or impose some other sanction. If the current petition proceeds, Crowder could face a revocation hearing and a possible return to state prison if a violation is ultimately found.
Police and public response
Local authorities have urged anyone with information about past incidents to contact investigators. Local reporting lists the Burbank Police Department’s Investigations Division at (818) 238-3210 as the number for tips. CBS Los Angeles and other outlets have highlighted victims’ frustration over repeated encounters and have echoed police calls for the public’s help in building cases.
For now, Crowder remains jailed on the parole hold, and authorities say court proceedings are expected to move forward in the coming weeks. This story will be updated as new court filings or official statements are released.
