Woman Groped In Irvine While Taking A Walk, Police Say: Man Convicted

IRVINE, CA — An inland empire man was convicted Wednesday of groping a woman in Irvine while she was taking a walk near University of California Irvine, court records revealed.

Brandon Dybdahl, 23, was convicted of false imprisonment and sexually battery, both misdemeanors.

He was scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 20 at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.

According to prosecutors, a 57-year-old woman told police that she was taking a walk through a residential and business neighborhood in Irvine just before 3 p.m. on June 20.

Prosecutors said Dybdahl saw the woman as he was driving by and proceeded to park. He started following the woman around before running up behind her and wrapping his arms around her, groping her breasts, prosecutors said.

When the victim screamed the defendant released her and ran off, according to prosecutors.

RELATED: Suspect In UCI Groping Caught On Camera Arrested In Laguna Hills

Surveillance video caught the attack and police released it publicly to help catch a suspect, prosecutors said.

Dybdahl was arrested in Laguna Hills in connection with the June attack that occurred near Graduate and Scholarship, according to the IPD. He was booked on suspicion of sexual battery and false imprisonment, authorities said.

KCAL9 reported that Dybdahl was homeless at the time of the attack and living with a friend in Laguna Hills.

Irvine Police Department Sgt. Karie Davies said that while Dybdahl was "couch surfing" with family friends, who were trying to "help him out," the friends did not know about the attack.