Monroeville sex offender facing new charges after 'attempting to upskirt' female shopper

A Monroeville man is facing charges after he was caught allegedly taking photos up a woman’s skirt Monday afternoon at a Giant Eagle in Monroeville, police said.

According to TribLive news partner WTAE, Monroeville police were called to the parking lot of the Target just before 4 p.m. after receiving reports of a man who was later identified as 29-year-old Brandon Bass, “upskirting or attempting to upskirt” a woman at the Giant Eagle located on Monroeville Boulevard.

According to the criminal complaint, the victim’s friend told officials they tried to confront Bass after witnessing him take the photograph. Bass began to leave when he was confronted. The friend told police they took a photo of Bass and chased him through the Giant Eagle and Target parking lots before he ran to his vehicle and left.

Police said they located the vehicle after Bass was seen “driving recklessly across Monroeville Boulevard by crossing all lanes of east and west traffic” and nearly causing a crash. The complaint said the driver then entered into the parking lot of Labriola’s, where Bass then ran from police as they arrived in the area, attempting to locate him.

He proceeded to drive recklessly again, almost causing another crash, the complaint said.

Police said they were able to stop him and identify him as the suspect in the Giant Eagle incident.

Police said Bass is a convicted sexual offender, having been involved in a 2021 incident in a Murrysville Sheetz. Bass was caught on surveillance video taking a photo up a woman’s skirt with a cellphone he’d taped to his shoe.

He also was investigated in July 2022 for a similar incident at the Monroeville Target, according to WTAE.

He faces multiple charges including harassment and reckless driving. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 31.