by Christopher Sanchez
Daily Lobo
The UNM Police Department is investigating a reported rape that allegedly took place during the early hours of Aug. 4 at the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity house.
Lt. Michael Young said the UNM Police Department received a dispatch call at approximately 5:30 a.m. for a reported act of criminal sexual penetration at 1815 Sigma Chi Road.
According to the UNM Police report, UNM Police officers were also dispatched to the Women's Hospital on 4701 Montgomery NE where a female wanted to file a police report for an alleged sexual assault that occurred at the fraternity house.
"We're still in the process of interviewing witnesses and we've secured a search warrant," Young said.
According to an Albuquerque Tribune article, evidence was obtained by UNMPD the following day which included clothes and rum bottles.
According to a search warrant affidavit, the alleged incident occurred when a 19-year-old woman had been drinking at the fraternity house and decided to take a shower to sober up, the article stated.
The affidavit states a fraternity member entered the shower. The woman proceeded to leave the shower to put her clothes on in his room where she was allegedly raped, according to the article.
After hearing the woman's call for help, another fraternity member pulled the suspect off the woman and proceeded to call the police, according to the article.
Young said the suspect was apprehended at the time of the incident for an unrelated warrant, which Young did not disclose.
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Because of the reported incident and alcohol present at the house, Randy Boeglin, dean of students, put the fraternity on an emergency suspension.
"The fraternity will be suspended until they come to the dean of students and schedule a hearing," Boeglin said. "If the allegations are true, there is a chance that the fraternity can lose their student chapter at UNM."
Boeglin said as of Aug. 11 the fraternity had not scheduled an appointment for a hearing.
"There is no time frame for the fraternity to schedule their hearing," said Boeglin. "But the fraternity will be suspended until they do so."
Boeglin said he was unsure if the woman was a student at UNM.
Young said if the suspect is proven guilty of the allegations he could be charged with criminal sexual penetration, which is a felony. As of Aug. 12, Young said no charges have been filed and said he doesn't know when the investigation will be completed.
Fraternity and Sorority Life declined to comment and members of Lambda Chi Alpha could not be reached.
