Police arrested a 20-year-old University of Miami student in connection with last Wednesday’s sexual battery at Pearson Residential College, said Sgt. Michael Frevola of the Coral Gables Police Department.
Michael “Mike” Anthony Anderson, a Junior and resident of Pearson, was charged Tuesday with one count of sexual battery and one count of burglary with assault or battery. Both are felonies.
According to the Coral Gables Gazette Anderson is currently being held without bond. His arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 13.
According to the initial University of Miami police crime alert sent out via e-mail Friday, a male entered a dorm room in Pearson sometime between 5 and 6 a.m., sexually fondled the victim and took some personal items belonging to the victim.
A copy of the police report, emailed to The Miami Hurricane from The Miami Herald filled in the other details: Anderson knowingly entered the victim’s room without her consent via a closed door that was unlocked, committed the battery, and left the room when the victim began to awake.
It continues to say that he was voluntarily transported to Coral Gables Police Department (CGPD) headquarters for questioning, where he subsequently made a taped statement, admitting to the crimes alleged.
Anderson, who was born in San Antonio, Texas, and the victim were acquaintances, but not in a relationship, according to The Herald.
A call to Anderson’s cell phone shortly after 5 p.m. on Wednesday went straight to his voicemail.
Lt. Bill Gerlach of the UM Police Department (UMPD) said that CGPD detectives, in conducting the investigation, were assisted by tips submitted in response to the e-mail crime alert, which he said helped expedite the investigation.
Gerlach noted that, with the arrest, students could not only be relieved that the perpetrator is in custody, but also that he was not an intruder. Notwithstanding, he added that UMPD will remain vigilant.
Ricardo Hall, UM’s dean of students, said that that the administration was informed by the UMPD that an arrest would be made.
“The student will follow the judicial procedures outlined in the [Student Rights and Responsibilities] handbook,” Hall said. Regarding the police, he added, “I think it’s obvious that, by the quick response, they were on the job.”
According to his Facebook profile, Anderson is studying music and pre-medicine. It also says that he is a member of the badminton and chemistry clubs.
Alan Rizer, a senior and friend of Anderson, said he knew Anderson was a suspect because Anderson knew the victim, but did not expect him to be arrested.
“It’s not in his character to do something like this,” Rizer said. “[He is] not mean-spirited in any way.”
ARREST AFFIDAVIT
The following is the official account of the defendant’s actions according to a police report filed on Tuesday:
“Defendant knowingly entered the victim’s residence without her consent via a closed but unlocked door. The residence is a dormitory room on the University of Miami property. Once inside, the defendant digitally penetrated the victim, without consent, while she slept. The defendant left the room when he observed the victim waking. The defendant was voluntarily transported to CGPD [Coral Gables Police Department] where he gave a post-Miranda taped statement admitting to the above. The defendant was placed under arrest and transported to DCJ [Division of Criminal Justice] via CGPD process.”
Andrew Schlotterlein contributed to this report.
Greg Linch may be contacted at g.linch@umiami.edu.