Last night, CU Boulder sent an alert to the campus community about a report of a fondling and trespassing case that occurred inside a NightRide vehicle. Late Friday morning, the suspect in that case turned himself in at the lobby of the Boulder Police Department.
CU Boulder Police Chief Doreen Jokerst
CU police arrested Ashten Johnson Talley, a 29-year-old man from Vail, Colorado, on the following charges: first-degree criminal trespass (a felony), physical harassment, computer crime for unlawfully accessing the victim’s smartphone and second-degree criminal tampering of the phone. Further investigation determined that Talley touched the victim. But, at this time, there is no evidence that the actions were sexual in nature and or met the legal definition of a sex crime.
Last night’s incident and other recent criminal acts on University Hill remind us that traumatic events happen every day in all communities, and the CU Boulder community is not exempt.
I’d first like to assure you that maintaining a safe campus and community is the top priority of our campus leaders, the CU Boulder Police Department and our colleagues in the Boulder Police Department.
That being said, I’d also like to share some reminders of steps you can take on and off campus to ensure the health and safety of yourself and others. If you feel unsafe or have an emergency, call 911.
Safety tips and reminders
- Always use the buddy system.
- Be an effective bystander. Don’t ignore situations that seem problematic or indicators that someone is trying to take advantage of a person who is vulnerable.
- Close and lock your doors and windows to help prevent burglaries and assaults.
- All residence hall residents should be conscientious about any strangers trying to enter buildings without an escort or "tailgating," entering residence halls with a group of students.
- Doors leading to living areas in residence halls remain locked 24 hours a day and visitors must be escorted by a hall resident. Do not prop open doors.
- CU Boulder Alerts: In case of emergency, make sure you get the message. As a CU Boulder student you are automatically registered using your @colorado.edu email address once you become an active student. Please update your mobile number as needed in your MyCUInfo portal.
While I encourage you to take safety precautions, some of these issues are not preventable, so I want to make sure you are aware of campus support resources that are available.
Confidential support centers and resources
- Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) can be reached at 303-492-2277 (24/7 phone line). CAPS provides confidential, on-campus mental health services for students on a variety of concerns. The primary location is in the Center for Community (C4C), Room N352; walk-in hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- The Office of Victim Assistance (OVA) can be reached at 303-492-8855 (24/7 phone line). OVA provides free, confidential counseling, advocacy, information and referrals for all CU community members, students, staff, faculty and their significant others. OVA is located in the Center for Community (C4C), Room N352; walk-in hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Reporting information
Don’t Ignore It: Report bias-motivated incidents, discrimination, harassment or sexual misconduct. For more information about reporting, visit the Don’t Ignore It website.
Other support resources
Student Support & Case Management (SSCM) can be reached at 303-492-7348. SSCM assists students who are experiencing distress from events such as personal or family crisis. SSCM works collaboratively to support academic success and emotional well-being. View the full list of campus support resources.
Be safe and take care of one another.
Doreen Jokerst
CU Boulder Police Chief
