Man who allegedly slashed woman’s neck on BART train has extensive criminal history

A man who was arrested on suspicion of slashing a woman with a knife on BART last weekend has an extensive history of past criminal charges, including felony robbery, assault and drug charges, according to court records.

Jovany Portades, 34, was arrested around 2 p.m., Sunday in Oakland, just one day after he allegedly slashed a 54-year-old woman’s neck on a BART train as the Antioch-bound train approached the 24th Street/Mission station in San Francisco. Portades exited the train and fled after the attack, authorities said.

The victim was transported to the hospital with serious injuries. An update on her condition was not available Monday.

Portades has seven previous convictions from a multitude of charges that have resulted in both time served and parole.

Most recently, in January 2024, Portades stole a bag of merchandise worth $180 from a Kohl’s store, striking and injuring the store’s loss prevention employee while attempting to retreat, according to court documents. The employee and Portades got into a physical altercation as the employee tried to stop him from leaving the premises, resulting in injuries to the employee’s hand. He was arrested by Alameda police.

Portades was charged with second-degree robbery with violence or bodily harm and violent conduct, according to court documents.

Portades’s parole for a previous coviction was revoked after his arrest in January 2024, according to court documents. He was sentenced to one year in Alameda County Jail with 214 days of credit for time served.

At the time, Portades was on probation for a robbery he committed in 2021, according to court documents. On March 31, 2021, he broke into a home in Berkeley where he punched the resident in the face and arms between 20 and 40 times before stealing his wallet, cell phone and laptop, the court papers say.

In September 2023, Portades was convicted for felony second degree robbery for that break-in in Alameda County. He was sentenced to 36 months probation, according to court documents.

He was arrested again in November 2023 for violating his parole after being recognized by a patrol deputy at Oakland International Airport; a search of his person revealed he was in possession of five knives in his jacket and backpack, according to court documents. He served 42 days in jail for violation of probation.

Prior to these robbery convictions, Portades was convicted of robbery as a minor, as well as drug and weapons charges as an adult.

In December 2006, when Portades was a minor, he was convicted of second-degree robbery in Solano County, according to court documents. He was sentenced to a wardship.

Portades was convicted of receiving stolen property, a felony, in Solano County in February 2013, for which he was sentenced to probation, according to court documents.