Update Feb. 22 7:40 p.m:

Dunn said the “criminal trespass” charge Adams received from OPS is a misdemeanor charge and when a person commits a misdemeanor OPS is required to take the person into custody.

“He was taken out of [Lyon Hall and] brought down [to the Office of Public Safety],” Dunn said. “We did some paperwork here and then we took him up to the sheriff’s department, where [they] take fingerprints and a booking photo of the person, and then [Adams] was what we call released … on his own cognizance.”

A spokesperson for the Town of Ithaca Court said via phone call Adams will be appearing in the court at 2 p.m. March 6.

Dunn said he could not confirm that Adams was a former student at the college because of the Family Educating Reporting Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA is a federal law that allows legal adults to determine if a school has permission to release any information about a student’s educational record.

According to the Ithaca College Alumni Directory, a person named Simeon Adams graduated from the college in 2016 and is an alumnus.

Dunn said to increase security and safety in a situation like this, OPS staff would engage in directed patrolling.

“We can’t just always introduce more officers to make our campus safer,” Dunn said. “But rather than increase the number of officers that we have, we direct officers to a certain area or location that we’ve been having problems with. In this particular case, possibly let’s say officers can be directed to lower quads if we’re having an issue there.”

Dunn said Adams was charged with being inside of a building and inside of a student’s room which he said has caused OPS concern but there are no allegations of violence against Adams.

“We don’t have any charges or even speculation of charges for drug violations, or weapons violations or [Adams] assaulting anyone,” Dunn said. “We are not looking for any other charges [besides trespassing]. We also don’t need to be afraid of [Adams] in the fact of [Adams] has not hurt anyone.”

Dunn said on Sept. 23, 2023, OPS found Adams in the Bogart Hall laundry room. According to OPS public safety logs published by The Ithacan, Patrol Officer Steven Hutchinson found an unauthorized person inside Bogart Hall and the person was restricted from campus.

“At the time, the officer’s right course of action was to issue him what we call that ‘trespass restriction notice’ telling [Adams] ‘Ithaca College is private property and you’re not supposed to be here’,” Dunn said. “[Adams] didn’t do anything else except for being inside a building that he didn’t belong [in].”

Original story, Feb. 21, 7:45 p.m:

The Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management (OPS) sent an email to the Ithaca College campus community through Ithaca College Intercom Feb. 21 to announce a repeat trespass offender.

Dave Maley, director of public relations at the college, said via email to the Ithacan that the incident occurred in Lyon Hall. 

OPS identified the trespasser as 30-year-old Simeon Adams. OPS said in the email that Adams is 5-foot-8 and weighs 160 pounds. OPS also said Adams has previously been restricted from the college’s premises. 

Thomas Dunn, associate director and deputy chief of OPS, said via email to The Ithacan that OPS previously restricted Adams in September 2023.

Dunn said via email to The Ithacan that the incident occurred around 8 p.m. Feb. 20. Dunn said OPS arrested and charged Adams for “criminal trespass” in the 2nd degree. Dunn said Adams was issued with an appearance ticket from the Town of Ithaca Court and was transported from campus after the incident.

In the email to the campus community, OPS said if anyone sees Adams on campus to contact them immediately. The number to contact OPS is 607-274-3333. 

“Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our campus community and we believe that timely and transparent communication is crucial in ensuring everyone remains vigilant and takes necessary precautions to keep themselves and the community safe,” OPS said in the Intercom post. 

OPS then emphasized the campus community should always lock offices, rooms and apartments.

 “Do not prop open residence hall doors or let anyone ‘piggyback’ after you in a residence hall,” OPS said. “Immediately report any unusual or suspicious activity to [OPS] by calling 607-274-3333 or using a Blue Light Phone on campus, or contacting local law enforcement by calling 911 off campus.”

Sophomore James Lubrano, who lives in Lyon Hall, said he was doing his laundry between 7:50 and 8 p.m. Feb. 20. He said when he left the laundry room, located in the basement of Lyon Hall, he saw Adams leaving an occupied dorm room.

“He was walking out of the room and he was completely expressionless,” Lubrano said. “There was nothing going on in his face. He wasn’t even looking at me, he was staring at the wall and walking super slowly in my direction.”

Lubrano said he watched Adams walk into the basement lounge and shut the door behind him. He said officers from OPS and the Ithaca Police Department arrived at the scene shortly thereafter. Lubrano said the officers caught Adams and handcuffed him in the basement lounge. He claims that he identified Adams as the person he saw earlier for the OPS officers.

Lubrano said the photo the college sent out was the person he saw in the basement.

“That’s what he was wearing yesterday as well [in the photo],” Lubrano said. “I assume that was a mugshot taken yesterday.”

Lubrano said he would feel safer knowing Adams could not get back onto campus.

“I’m hoping they didn’t release him, because … if they let him go, that is a really questionable choice in my opinion,” Lubrano said. “I hope that he’s locked up for at least the rest of the semester … because he’s breaking into someone’s dorm room. That’s breaking into someone’s property.”

Lubrano said OPS informed him that Adams was a former student at the college. He said this may be how Adams knew how to enter the building. Lubrano said he does not feel safe on campus, despite the college’s statement to the college community that Adams is restricted from campus.

“It seems like it’s still easy for him to get onto campus,” Lubrano said. “I just want more regulations for every dorm building to be locked up … I want this to be a place where only students should be able to get into and not other people.”

Senior Ariel Esteva, a resident assistant on the third and ground floor of Lyon Hall, sent out an email to residents of the building at 8:50 p.m. The email said to remove any clothes from the laundry room because OPS was trying to remove a person’s clothes.

Esteva said he was told to send out the email by Grace Dosdall, residence director for Lower Quads. He said he was at work and did not have context for sending the message. Lower quads residents were also sent an email about safety.

“It has recently come to our attention that there have been a few instances where people unaffiliated with IC and the Lower Quads have gained access into our residence halls,” Dosdall wrote in the email. “While we understand that everyone has the best intentions, it’s crucial to prioritize safety above all else.”

Sophomore Lauren Leighow, a resident of Lyon Hall, said she heard other residents of Lyon Hall say Adams was doing his laundry in the building. However, Esteva said he was not completely sure if that is true.

Leighow said she used to feel safe on campus but said she has to be more cautious now.

“We’re not even safe in our residence halls,” Leighow said. “It’s so scary to think that it could just happen to anybody.”