California’s Alleged ‘Serial Butt Sniffer’ Returns to Jail After Another Parole Slip‑up

Los Angeles County officials confirmed on October 10 that Calese Crowder – the man some media outlets have dubbed the “serial butt sniffer” – will spend another 170 days behind bars. The sentence follows an August 28 arrest in Glendale, where officers say a witness reported a stranger trailing women and getting uncomfortably close enough to smell them.

Crowder, 39, is not new to this sort of trouble. He’s been arrested more than 40 times for similar conduct dating back to at least 2021, with video clips surfacing from Burbank, Anaheim and other Southern‑California locales. Back then, he was charged with misdemeanors, not felonies, because California law draws a line at physical contact; a mere sniff, however invasive, stays in the misdemeanor realm.

He’s already served a 135‑day stint after an earlier parole violation that involved the same kind of unsolicited sniffing. This new sentence includes a credit of 12 days, meaning he’ll be released in roughly five months, only to return to parole supervision once more.

Legal experts point out the odd loophole that keeps the case from escalating. “Touching would be a felony, but sniffing is a misdemeanor,” explained attorney Dmitry Gorin, who added that without proper treatment Crowder is likely to repeat the behavior indefinitely.

The cycle of arrests, short jail terms and parole violations underscores a broader question: how does the system handle a repeat offender whose crimes feel more like a compulsion than a conventional felony? For now, Crowder’s next move is to finish his time, get back on parole and, according to the authorities, stay away from anyone’s rear‑end.