A man who broke into Mayor Karen Bass' official residence in Windsor Square while she was inside with family members pleaded no contest Wednesday to a felony vandalism charge and was immediately sentenced to two years probation.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Armenui Amy Ashvanian also ordered Ephraim Matthew Hunter, 29, to spend at least three months in a drug treatment/mental health program and six to nine months in a halfway house and to pay more than $15,000 in restitution. He was also ordered to stay away from Bass, her home and Los Angeles City Hall for three years.
The judge warned Hunter that three years of state prison will be hanging over his head if he fails to comply with any of the terms of his sentence, telling him that "any minor violation" would trigger the prison term that is currently suspended under the plea agreement.
"The prison sentence will be three years, nothing less, nothing more," Ashvanian told the defendant.
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When asked if he understood the terms of his sentence, the defendant responded, "I do."
As part of the plea agreement, Hunter admitted a prior strike for a 2016 robbery conviction in Massachusetts.
Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Chung told the judge that the prosecution received video footage after the case was filed that showed Hunter "acting erratically" before entering the mayor's official residence April 21. He told the judge that the prosecution would not be able to satisfy the requirement for mental state involving a first-degree burglary charge that had been filed against Hunter in April involving the break-in, resulting in that charge being dismissed.
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At a hearing shortly after Hunter's arrest, the prosecutor said the home's occupants were sleeping when Hunter "bodily'" broke the rear door and tried to get through the bedroom doors.
The break-in occurred around 6:40 a.m. April 21, with the suspect breaking a glass door and entering the home while the mayor was inside with her daughter, son-in-law and recently born grandson, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said shortly after the case was filed.
Neither the mayor nor her family were injured.
Interim Chief Dominic Choi of the Los Angeles Police Department told reporters after the crime that the break-in occurred during a shift change among security officers at the home, so there were no security personnel present. But he said given the size of the Getty House property, even having a security officer there may not have prevented the break-in, which occurred through a back entrance.
He said, however, that the scheduling of security personnel at the property was adjusted to remove any "gap" in coverage. He noted that the mayor's standard LAPD security detail was scheduled to begin its duties at 7 a.m. the day of the crime, and they were heading to the home when the break-in occurred.
Deputy Public Defender Howard Stern told reporters outside court that he was "pleased with the resolution."
"He's looking forward to working hard in recovery, turning his life around and becoming a success story," the defense attorney said of Hunter.
