Samantha Chaffin

Editor-in-Chief

The Idaho State Journal reported that Sulton Sameer Bamoallem, who was arrested for trespassing in an Idaho State University dormitory and arrested a second time Friday, March 13, has been banned from all ISU property.

ISU Director of Marketing and Communications Adrienne King is quoted by the Idaho State Journal as stating ISU would conduct a student conduct investigation into the recent incident involving Bamoallem before taking action, which could include suspension or expulsion from the university.

The Idaho State Journal reported that, according to police reports, officers from the Pocatello Police Department were called to assist Public Safety three separate times Wednesday, March 11 before arresting Bamoallem. He was charged with misdemeanor trespass and misdemeanor second degree stalking.

Bamoallem was reportedly found in Nichols Hall and was told to leave and stay away from campus housing prior to being discovered in Turner Hall an hour later, at which time he was taken into custody.

Bamoallem posted bond and was released from the Bannock County Jail a short time before being arrested for the second time in a week in the Rendezvous Complex Friday, March 13. He was charged with criminal trespass and three counts of battery, according to an arrest summary released by the Pocatello Police Department.

Court records indicate these incidents were not Bamoallem’s first contact with the law, as he was charged with unlawful entry and battery, both misdemeanors, on Feb. 23, 2015. 

KPVI News 6 reported that the February charges stemmed from an incident involving a female student at ISU. The student allegedly awoke to find Bamoallem in her dorm room touching her with his pants off.

The Idaho State Journal reported that, according to King, Bamoallem had been banned from all residential halls at the university following the February incident.

KPVI News 6 reported that Bamoallem was removed from the seventh floor of Turner Hall during the Wednesday, March 11 incident, the same floor KPVI reported the female student involved in the alleged February incident resides on.

A one-year no contact order was issued for Bamoallen on March 11, 2015.

According to the Idaho State Journal, Bamoallem pleaded not guilty to both of those charges and a $1,000 bond was set for the battery charge while he was released on his own recognizance for the unlawful entry charge.

These incidents have raised concerns amongst many students at ISU.

King told the Idaho State Journal that exterior doors of all residential halls are locked 24 hours a day unless they have classrooms or dining facilities in the building.

KPVI News 6 reported that King said an internal investigation is ongoing and the doors at Turner Hall have been ordered to be locked at all hours until card swipes for the elevators have been implemented. Bathrooms in the complex are also now locked, according to the Idaho State Journal.

King is also quoted by KPVI as stating that Public Safety checks the doors two to three times per night and any defective locks would be addressed immediately.

Bamoallem, 25, is listed in the ISU Directory as a freshman finance student at the university.  His name in the directory is listed as Sultan S. Bamoallem, though court records show the spelling Sulton S Bamoallem, as reported by the Idaho State Journal and other local news sources.

Bamoallem is due back in court Thursday, March 19 at 8 a.m.