Crime brief: Sexual imposition, indecent exposure reported at library

Kayla Byler
Thu, 16 Jan 2014 05:07:47 +0000
Campus, ohio state, osu

A 56-year-old man, described as “an habitual offender,” was arrested for sexual imposition at the William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library Saturday at about 5:30 p.m.

Lonnie Sturdivant, a homeless 56-year-old man, was reported to library security for inappropriately touching female Ohio State students who were studying and police were called in, Deputy Chief of University Police Richard Morman said.

Officers found a man fitting the description that had been reported to library security, who was later identified as Sturdivant, and saw him grope a 21-year-old female student. Sturdivant was then arrested for sexual imposition, illegal use or possession of drug paraphenalia and possession of drugs.

Sturdivant might have also been previously involved with similar incidents at other locations around Columbus, Morman said.

In an unrelated incident later in the week, two female students reported a man in Thompson Library exposing himself and masturbating while watching them Monday at about 2:45 p.m. The man was described as being about 60 years old with a “scruffy beard” but “clean cut,” according to a University Police report.

Library security conducted a sweep of the building but did not find the man. A library staff member reviewed surveillance video of the suspect leaving the building. In the video, however, the suspect was aware of the cameras and had taken his shirt off and was using it to cover his face, according to the report.

A 26-year-old male student, suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, was arrested for disorderly conduct at St. John Arena Jan. 8 at about 9 p.m.

There were 36 thefts reported on OSU’s campus this week from Jan. 8 to Wednesday.

In one incident, a male student was arrested for stealing from the food court at the Ohio Union.