A 29-year-old man accused of breaking into Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass's residence, forcing her to flee to a safe room, pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony vandalism, while prosecutors dismissed a more serious burglary charge.
Ephraim Hunter was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Armenui Amy Ashvanian ordered Hunter to undergo drug treatment and stay away from Bass, the mayor's residence and Los Angeles City Hall for three years.
The incident, which took place in early April, exposed security shortcomings at Getty House, the mayor's official residence in Windsor Square, and raised questions about whether Hunter had intentionally targeted Bass. Hunter's family has insisted that on April 21 he was in an apparent drug-induced psychosis, unaware of where he was and not there to drink anything.
Bass spokesman Zach Seidl declined to comment on the plea deal.
Deputy Public Defender Howard Stern, who represented Hunter, said his client is “satisfied” with the resolution of the case.
“He is looking forward to working hard on his recovery, turning his life around and becoming a success story,” Stern said in an email.
Hunter was initially charged with first-degree robbery and vandalism, both felonies, carrying a maximum sentence of 13 years and four months in prison. As part of his plea agreement, he also admitted to a prior offense from a 2016 burglary conviction in Massachusetts.
Days after Hunter's arrest on April 21, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón told reporters he believed Hunter had specifically targeted Bass, who lives in the home with her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.
During Wednesday's hearing, Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Chung told the judge that the first-degree robbery charge against Hunter would be dismissed because prosecutors failed to prove his intent. Chung acknowledged that video from a bus showed Hunter was “acting erratically” before breaking into Bass's home.
LAPD Acting Police Chief Dominic Choi confirmed in April that no one from the department was on the premises at the time Hunter broke a glass door and entered the home, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Officers arrived at the home and arrested Hunter after Bass had gotten into a secure room on the premises.
A Los Angeles Police Department source, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the case, previously told The Times that the department has since begun maintaining a 24-hour visible presence in the area.
Police and prosecutors said Hunter broke into the mayor's residence around 6:40 a.m., while Bass and several members of her family were home. According to law enforcement sources, Hunter went upstairs and at some point encountered Stax, the mayor's German shepherd. No one was hurt and nothing was stolen.
Police sources told The Times that Hunter yelled Bass's first name after entering the residence. Hunter offered a different account, telling KNX that he had been yelling his brother's first name, Aaron.
During the interview with KNX, Hunter said he had been under the influence of methamphetamine and believed someone was after him. He denied he was after the mayor, saying he is not interested in politics and is prohibited from voting due to a criminal record.
The incident was the second of two robberies Bass has experienced in recent years. In 2022, two men broke into Bass' home in Baldwin Vista and stole two guns. Both were sentenced to prison last year.
Court records show Hunter had previously been convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in Massachusetts and had served seven years in state prison. Hunter maintained he was present at the attack but did not participate in it, a relative told the Times.
A woman who identified herself as Hunter's mother previously told The Times that he had been battling drug addiction and possibly experiencing hallucinations during the robbery.
Josephine Duah described her son as a “very kind and caring person” whose life had been torn apart by drug use and time spent in prison. She repeatedly insisted that her son had no idea he had entered the mayor’s home.
