Thaddeus Staniforth pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges of kidnapping, assault to commit a felony, and sexual battery by restraint.
If convicted, he faces more than nine years in prison, according to a statement from the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office.
Staniforth, a 25-year-old chemistry student, is accused of attacking a woman outside Delta Terrace residence hall as she was returning from a party around 3:25 a.m. on March 31.
He allegedly grabbed the woman from behind and forced her to a wooded area, then straddled her and pulled up her dress before getting up and fleeing the area.
University police arrested Staniforth on April 2 at his room in Delta Terrace after examining security camera evidence and receiving tips from community members. Police could not confirm if Staniforth was given a drug test after his arrest.
Staniforth’s attorney said he is currently reviewing evidence and is not prepared to make a statement.
Friends and neighbors of Staniforth, a transfer student from Fullerton College, said he was generally friendly and outgoing.
They also said they believe he is an avid drug user.
“Eighty percent of the time I saw (Staniforth), he was under the influence,” said Josh Villagomez, a third-year English student who knew Staniforth as an acquaintance.
A group of women who know Staniforth as a casual friend and wish to remain unnamed said he had claimed to use marijuana, ecstasy and cocaine.
The women also described him as a heavy drinker. He always appeared to be drinking, whether with a group or alone.
The women said Staniforth was always nice to them. They talked to him on occasion when they had problems, and he offered friendly advice in return.
One of the women said she had always felt slightly put off by Staniforth, due mostly to his mental state while under the influence.
He was never violent or overtly sexual, although he had appeared to be a lot more stressed out in recent weeks, the women said. Staniforth had talked to a few of the women about a fear of failing his classes.
The women all said they would not have believed Staniforth capable of committing sexual assault.
Mutual acquaintances of Staniforth and the woman who was assaulted said the two lived near each other but did not know each other.
Staniforth is currently being held at a correctional facility in Los Angeles on $225,000 bail.