Woman sexually assaulted by homeless man at Long Beach chiropractic clinic
Video captured the terrifying moment a man entered a Long Beach chiropractic clinic and sexually assaulted a female patient.
The incident happened on March 18 at Clements Chiropractic located on the 3700 block of East Anaheim Street.
The suspect, Ernesto Sanson, 57, was seen entering the clinic and approaching two workers at the front desk. Sanson is believed to be a homeless person, police said.
“He was standing at the desk, fidgeting around, wiping his nose and then he asked to go to the restroom,” recalled Dr. Corey Clements, the clinic’s owner.
As Sanson wanders down the clinic hallway, he spots a female patient lying down as she’s receiving treatment.
“The patient was laying face down right here and this is where he first spotted her and she feels his hands go on her shoulder and he starts massaging her and she says, ‘Is that you, Dr. Clements?’ and he doesn’t respond,” Clements said. “How he responds is he jumps on top of her and pins her down, right after he pulls his pants down. She could feel his genitals rubbing against her backside. He reached in and started to put his mouth near her ear.”
Homeless man entering a Long Beach chiropractic clinic before sexually assaulting a female patient on March 18, 2024. (Clements Chiropractic) Homeless man seen wandering the halls of a Long Beach chiropractic clinic before sexually assaulting a female patient on March 18, 2024. (Clements Chiropractic) Homeless man arrested at a Long Beach chiropractic clinic for sexually assaulting a female patient on March 18, 2024. (Clements Chiropractic) Homeless man arrested at a Long Beach chiropractic clinic for sexually assaulting a female patient on March 18, 2024. (Clements Chiropractic) Homeless man entering a Long Beach chiropractic clinic before sexually assaulting a female patient on March 18, 2024. (Clements Chiropractic) Clements Chiropractic clinic in Long Beach, California. (KTLA)
The woman quickly turned around and realized she didn’t recognize the man. That’s when she screamed at the top of her lungs, Clements said.
Cameras captured the moment the front desk staff heard the blood-curdling scream and ran over to the woman.
When Clements asked her what happened, the woman said Sanson tried to rape her.
Clements and a male patient inside the clinic chased Sanson outside. As they ran, they weaved through oncoming traffic before finally catching him.
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They both grabbed one of the suspect’s arms and “spun him around and I stopped the traffic and we hauled him back into the office,” Clements said.
Back at the office, Sanson suddenly became violent. They isolated him inside a small room as they waited for Long Beach police to arrive.
“He said, ‘I don’t want to go back to prison,’” Clements recalled. “He ripped a bar off the wall and had a weapon now.”
They held Sanson down until officers arrived and took him into custody. He was charged with a misdemeanor and faces a one-year jail sentence.
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Clements feels the charges against Sanson are too lenient and said he is frustrated with the outcome.
“Now I have to be worried about having people coming into my business and raping my patients?” Clements said. “As a community, we kind of come together and we need to point some fingers here at who’s really not doing their job.”
Clements said he would be increasing security measures after this incident and remains a bit shaken up and concerned for his patients’ safety.
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