Glendale man accused of assaulting neighbor

A 26-year-old Glendale man faces burglary and assault charges after he allegedly broke into his neighbor’s apartment on Christmas and fondled her as she slept alongside her husband and 15-month-old daughter, police said.

Leopoldo Porras-Ventura was taken into custody Tuesday after his 31-year-old neighbor and her 35-year-old husband identified him as the man who allegedly entered their apartment in the 600 block of East Garfield Avenue, according to Glendale police reports.

He was charged with one felony count of first-degree burglary and a felony count of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense, according to a Los Angeles County Superior Court criminal complaint.

The woman, a mother of six, was sleeping in a bed in her living room about 6:23 a.m. as her husband and daughter slept on the couch next to her, according to Glendale police reports. The couple’s other five children were also sleeping inside the apartment during the incident.

As she slept, she felt someone’s hand touch her buttocks and crotch over her pajama pants, according to police.

She then felt a cold hand slide under her pants and onto her buttocks, which prompted her to wake up, police said.

At that point, she allegedly saw Porras-Ventura crouching next to her, which caused her to yell for her husband.

Porras-Ventura quickly ran out of their apartment’s rear door, which was unlocked, police said.

Still, she immediately recognized Porras-Ventura as her new neighbor, who moved into an upstairs apartment earlier this month, police said.

She told police she had never met him before Tuesday’s incident.

Porras-Ventura told officers he was partying, smoking and drinking in his apartment with friends, but denied touching his neighbor, according to police reports.

Porras-Ventura is not linked to the recent series of sexual batteries and burglaries in Los Feliz, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Los Angeles Police detectives are looking for a man who allegedly burglarized 13 homes along Los Feliz Boulevard and has sexually assaulted some of the victims while they slept.

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