The suspect broke a glass rear door and entered Getty House, which is surrounded by a fence. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has filed felony charges against a 29-year-old man who on April 21 broke into Getty House, the official residence of the mayor of Los Angeles, located at 605 S. Irving Blvd. in Windsor Square.

Ephraim Matthew Hunter, of Los Angeles, was charged with one felony count of first-degree residential burglary with a person present and one felony count of vandalism causing more than $400 in damage. He pleaded not guilty on April 23 and is being held on $100,000 bail.

Mayor Karen Bass and members of her family were home when the burglary occurred around 6:40 a.m., police said. No injuries were reported.

Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Charles Miller said the suspect triggered an alarm when he entered and police officers from the Olympic Division were dispatched immediately. They arrested Hunter at approximately 7 a.m. According to the criminal complaint against Hunter, the suspect smashed a rear glass door and entered the house. Hunter allegedly made it up to the second floor. Bass stayed in a secure area inside.

“Mayor Bass and her family were not injured and are safe,” read a statement from Deputy Mayor of Communications Zach Seidl shortly after the incident. “The mayor is grateful to LAPD for responding and arresting the suspect.”

Bass declined to comment on the incident afterward other than to state at a press conference on April 22 on the city’s upcoming budget that she and her family were “fine” and the investigation will be ongoing.

Hunter was not armed and police did not release a motive. According to media reports, the suspect’s family believes he was experiencing mental health issues. It was reported that Hunter is originally from Massachusetts and has a 2015 conviction for assault.

The case is under investigation by the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division, which declined to comment. It was not divulged how Hunter got onto the property which is fenced. Lt. Richard Fox, of the Olympic Division, confirmed officers arrested Hunter and booked him for burglary but had no further information about the circumstances of the alleged crime. He said although nothing was stolen, felony burglary is the standard charge for a situation in which someone breaks in and enters a home.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said on April 23 that prosecutors will aggressively pursue the case against Hunter.

“I’m profoundly relieved that Mayor Karen Bass and her family emerged unharmed in this recent home break-in. The safety and security of all residents, including public officials, remain paramount in our community,” Gascón said. “While we’re grateful for their physical safety, this violent intrusion will not be tolerated. We’re fully committed to ensuring that the perpetrator is swiftly brought to justice and held accountable for his actions.”

Security and police patrols have been increased at and around Getty House following the break-in. The LAPD declined to comment on the measures being implemented to secure Getty House and why more security measures were not in place at the time of the burglary.

Hunter faces 13 years and four months in prison. He is scheduled to appear on May 6 in Dept. 30 of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.