Dean of Students Christopher S. Queen warned summer school students yesterday that a man convicted of sexual assault has allegedly approached two students.
In a memo issued to all students, Queen identifies the man as Jean Baptiste, who in 1991 was convicted of raping two summer school students. Baptiste was racently released on parole from Cedar Junction State Prison.
Lt. John F. Rooney of the Harvard Police Department said that Harvard Police are investigating complaints that a Black male had approached two individuals on different occasions and attempted to ask them to dinner.
Rooney declined to confirm that the suspect was Jean Baptiste.
He emphasized that "the conduct is not of a criminal nature as of yet." But he said that the department is concerned that the conduct could eventually lead to criminal activity on the suspect's part.
The memo says Baptiste is "considered dangerous" and urges students to avoid contact with his.
"We're letting all of our students know about this because we're very Police said one incident was reported from aphone by Adams House and the other incident wasreported at the corner of Mass. Ave. and DunsterStreet, near Lehman Gate. The memo to students says that Baptisteapproaches young males in the Harvard Square areaand invites them to dinner or drinks, claimingthat he can help them get admitted to Harvard. Baptiste serves students large quantities ofalcohol and afterwards engages them in sex againsttheir will at his apartment, the memo states. Although he often claims to be a professor,admissions officer or other University employee,he is not affiliated with Harvard, the memo says. While the police investigate the incidents,they are urging summer school students to bealert, Rooney said. "We're just wanting the student body to usesome common sense with strangers," he said. "At this stage here, we're just assembling thefacts on it. Should it develop into a criminalact, we want to be able to respond veryeffectively and expeditiously," he added. Baptiste was sentenced in June 1991 to nine to10 years in state prison, and was to be releasedon parole after serving one year. The remainder of his sentence was suspended forfive years
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