Several Ohio University students told the Ohio University Police Department in February they believe a now-former resident assistant stole personal belongings while they were sleeping.
David Felt, 20, was arrested Feb. 28 in Washington Hall for two counts of burglary. Alcohol was involved at the time of the incident, accord- ing to an OUPD police report, but Felt wasn’t charged with underage drinking.
Felt has since been charged with burglary and accused of entering a student’s room while she was sleeping and taking clothing from her room during Spring Semester 2013.
The student who called the police claimed a similar incident occurred involving a student across the hall from her, but the report does not specify whether or not any other items were stolen.
The report did not indicate if Felt had stolen alcohol from one of the dorm rooms or if he was intoxicated when he stole clothes, but it did state that the crime was not forcible.
When a university staff member, student or otherwise, is suspected of misconduct, the consequence could be anything up to and including termination of employment, said Executive Director of Residential Housing Peter Trentacoste.
“All staff within the department of Residential Housing are trained and provided expectations for behavior and appropriate role-modeling,” Trentacoste said in an email. “Members of our staff are held to a high standard.”
The university could not, however, specify whether or not the allegations of this incident are the reason that Felt is no longer an RA because of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, said OU spokeswoman Katie Quaranta.
Felt entered a plea of not guilty May 1 to the charges before Judge L. Alan Goldsberry, according to a news release from Athens County Prosecu- tor Keller Blackburn’s Office.
“On Feb. 28, Felt (was) accused of entering two different rooms at a dorm at Ohio University and removing items from the rooms without permission,” Blackburn said in the release. He added that both of the rooms were located in Washington Hall on East Green.
Todd L. Grace, Felt’s attorney, did not return calls from The Post requesting comment.
Because burglary is a third-degree felony, Felt could face up to three years in prison, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
A pretrial will be held on Sept. 23 and a jury trial will be held on Oct. 17. Until then, Felt will not be incarcerated.
Until then, Felt was ordered by the court to avoid contact with the residents and to avoid consumption of alcohol.
kf398711@ohiou.edu
