Lake Tahoe ‘foot fondler’ arrested after breaking into two women’s homes and rubbing their feet as they slept

A man apparently obsessed with feet who allegedly broke into two vacation homes in Lake Tahoe and fondled women’s feet as they slept has been arrested.

Mark Anthony Gonzales, 26, dubbed the “Lake Tahoe Foot Fondler,” was taken into custody on Tuesday at his home in Atwater, California, on two counts of burglary and two counts of battery, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.

Mr Gonzales is accused of entering two Stateline resort condominiums at the Club Wyndham South Shore hotel through unlocked screen doors and rubbing the women’s feet while they slept.

Women in the two separate incidents told deputies they were woken up around 4.30am on Sunday and Monday over the Fourth of July weekend to the suspect “fondling their feet.”

“Each female awoke from their sleep as the subject was rubbing their feet,” the sheriff’s office said. “Once awake the females confronted the male subject and he fled the scene.”

The terrifying incidents prompted the local officials to urge local residents to lock their doors.

Forensic techniques were used to identify Gonzales, which led them to connect him to a slew of crimes "including the theft of women’s shoes, trespassing, and sexual self-gratification during some of these incidents."

Investigators said it’s believed "that Gonzales’ crimes were escalating in nature.

Gonzales is being held at the Merced County Jail on a fugitive warrant and a $50,000 bond. He is set to be extradited back to Douglas County in Nevada.

“I am extremely pleased that my Investigators were able to identify, locate, and arrest this individual,” Douglas County Sheriff Dan Coverley said.

“These types of crimes are especially alarming to a community, and being able to make an arrest allows the victims and community to feel safe again.”