SAN JOSE — A man was arrested after allegedly groping five people at San Jose State University on Saturday, the same day the campus was welcoming recently admitted students, authorities said.
“Admitted Spartan Day” ran until 2 p.m. Saturday, and around 2:30 p.m., with students still milling around near the Martin Luther King Jr. Library and Clark Hall, the man reportedly grabbed four women and a 17-year-old girl, according to the University Police Department.
The attacks, described as sexual batteries by police, involved the suspect approaching the victims from behind and “squeezing, grabbing and touching” them outside of their clothing, Capt. Alan Cavallo said. They did not report any physical injuries.
The man was swiftly taken into custody by campus police officers, and has been identified as 32-year-old San Jose resident Cesar Pineda.
Pineda was booked into the Santa Clara County jail on suspicion of five counts of misdemeanor sexual battery, and is being held without bail on a parole hold. Cavallo said university police have encountered Pineda in the past, but for loitering-type offenses.
Police are seeking any possible additional victims and witnesses, and anyone with information for the case can contact 408-924-2222.
Additionally, campus goers are urged to call 911 to report suspicious activity or by using a “Blue Light” phone distributed throughout the grounds. Safety escorts and the Spartan Shuttle Ride can be requested by calling 408-924-2000.
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