Two Men Charged with Sexual Assault of Ramapo College Student

Two men were arrested Monday for allegedly sexually assaulting a Ramapo College student.

Nakeem D. Gardner,18, of Paterson and Christian A. Lopez, 24, of Secaucus, were arrested Monday after an adult female student of Ramapo College reported to Hackensack University Medical Center on Nov. 15 and said she had been sexually assaulted, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said.

Detectives responded to the hospital to interview the victim and learned the woman had attended a fraternity party Friday night into the early morning hours of Saturday. She awoke Saturday ”in a state of undress in a dorm room on the college campus and believed she had been sexually assaulted,” Molinelli said.

An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and the Mahwah police department, aided by Ramapo College’s security department, resulted in identifying numerous individuals that were present near the dorm room where the incident took place.

Investigators were able to identify two suspects after reviewing video surveillance on campus and interviewing numerous students. It was also confirmed “that the victim was highly intoxicated and unable to consent to sexual activity,” Molinelli said.

Garnder was arrested on campus without incident, while Lopez was arrested at his residence in Secaucus. Both men have been charged with two counts of first degree aggravated sexual assault.

Gardner has also been charged with the third degree crime of invasion of privacy for taking video and pictures of the victim without her consent, Molinelli said.

Bail has been set for each at $300,000 with no ten percent option and no contact with the victim. Both men have been remanded to the Bergen County Jail for default of required bail.

It has not been confirmed that both men are students of Ramapo College.