Unwanted Touching Leads to 13 Assault, Sex Offense Charges for Aspen Hill Bakery Owner

Montgomery County Police say that the owner of the Passion Bakery Café in Aspen Hill has been arrested after an investigation into multiple allegations of inappropriate touching during business hours.

56-year-old Jose Melvin Mendoza has been charged with 13 counts of second-degree assault, two counts of fourth-degree sex offense, and one count of fourth-degree sex offense by a person in a position of authority. 

Mendoza’s arrest comes after an investigation into multiple allegations of inappropriate touching during working hours, police said in a press release issued Friday.

The release did not mention whether the purported victims were customers or employees of the bakery. However, WTOP reported on Friday that bakery employees alleged that their boss would frequently make them uncomfortable with what he said and did.

According to charging documents, Mendoza would question his employees about whether they masturbated or shaved their genitals and would also grab several of his female employees around the waist or in a “hugging motion.” In one case, an employee reported that while she was washing dishes, “Mendoza walked up to her from behind and used his right forearm to touch her left breast without her consent,” according to WTOP.

NBC4 reported on Saturday that one of the employees accusing Mendoza is 17 years old.

Passion Bakery Café has locations in Beltsville, Rockville, Olney/Sandy Spring, and at the Plaza del Mercado in Aspen Hill. According to the charging documents, all the incidents in the criminal complaint occurred at the Aspen Hill location.

Mendoza’s attorney, David Moyse of the Jezic & Moyse law firm in Wheaton, told MoCo360 Friday evening that it was “very disappointing to have this amount of publicity on a case that we believe to be absolutely false.

“There’s a process we are going to fully engage in. We look forward to a trial and to the truth, which is that Mr. Mendoza did not commit any of these allegations,” Moyse said.

According to court records, Mendoza is currently out on a $5,000 unsecured personal bond. Police believe there may be more victims and urge anyone with information to call detectives at the Fourth District—Patrol Investigations Unit at (240) 773-5476.

Additionally, anyone with any information can contact the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County at crimesolversmcmd.org or (866) 411-8477. Tips can be provided anonymously, and anyone providing information that leads to an arrest may qualify for a reward of up to $10,000.

Photo: © 2024 Google

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