Slidell, Louisiana — A former nursing home janitor has been convicted of sexually assaulting a 69-year-old resident during an incident that occurred in 2018.
Bobby Mendell Bester, 47, was found guilty by a Louisiana jury after a trial that revealed disturbing details of his conduct while employed at the facility. According to court testimony, Bester entered the room of a bedridden female resident under the guise of performing janitorial duties. He commented on one of her socks being off, then closed the door and blinds before massaging her feet with lotion. Jurors heard that he made inappropriate comments and engaged in non-consensual physical contact during the encounter.
Prosecutors stated that Bester paused the assault when he heard footsteps outside the room, resuming when the hallway was quiet.
Despite the incident occurring in 2018, Bester was not arrested until February 2024. During the investigation, he admitted to having a foot fetish but denied the allegations. However, the jury found the evidence sufficient to convict him.
As part of the case, prosecutors also introduced testimony from a local real estate agent who described a 2007 incident in which Bester contacted her office under false pretenses and later left a sexually explicit voicemail, which was played in court.
Bester now faces a sentence ranging from 25 years to life in prison. Sentencing is pending.