An East Mississippi Community College student was charged with sexual battery against a Mississippi State student Saturday.
A female student reported being raped Saturday after leaving a party with a male subject, a report from the MSU Police Department said.
The Starkville Police Department reported the arrest of 19-year-old Landon Beard of Madison. Beard was released on $50,000 bond, the report said.
Fay Morgan, who works in the registrar’s office at East Mississippi Community College, said Beard was currently enrolled at the school, contrary to a Starkville Daily News story that ran Sunday listing Beard as an MSU student. MSU assistant police chief Georgia Lindley said the Starkville Police Department initially filed an erroneous report.
According to the Starkville Daily News story, the sexual battery occurred when Beard and the victim went to his apartment at 144 College Station after visiting an on-campus fraternity party early Saturday morning.
The victim was taken to Oktibbeha County Hospital late Saturday and underwent a sexual assault examination, the story said.
Starkville Police Chief David Lindley did not return a phone call made to his office Monday.
“We will assist her, as with any student, in this issue,” assistant dean of students Thomas Bourgeois said. “She has the resources of the university to help with counseling. We will help in any way possible.”
No other arrests are expected, but the case is still under investigation, a press release issued by the Starkville Police said.