Photo by Andreas Pelekis for The Lafayette

The inciting incident took place in Rubin Hall on the night of Oct. 15.

Peter Milius, who was a Lafayette College student through at least last semester, was arraigned on Monday in connection with an October incident in Rubin Hall in which two students were recorded showering, according to court records.

Milius was charged with two counts of misdemeanor invasion of privacy without consent and an unrelated felony count of possession of child pornography. According to college spokesman Scott Morse, Milius, who was a sophomore, is “no longer an enrolled student” and has been “prohibited from accessing campus.”

Gary Asteak, Milius’ defense attorney, did not return multiple phone calls requesting comment.

“Due to the sensitive nature of this case, we will save our comments for courtroom proceedings,” Asteak told LehighValleyLive on Tuesday.

According to LehighValleyLive, a Public Safety officer was sent to Rubin Hall at 11 p.m. on Oct. 15 for a reported invasion of privacy incident. Two men who reside in Rubin Hall were allegedly recorded by Milius on his personal cell phone while showering; they then reported the incidents to their resident advisor who reported the incidents to Public Safety.

The alleged incidents occurred at different times. One of the men declined to comment and the resident advisor did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

One of the victims, according to LehighValleyLive, saw Milius hold his cellphone above the shower curtain. The victim then yelled at Milius to stop recording him and to give him the phone.

The phone was seized by Public Safety – the sole law enforcement agency involved with the case – after it obtained a search warrant on Oct. 19. A separate search warrant was issued on Jan. 4 related to child pornography on the device; 76 graphic images depicting child pornography were found on Milius’ phone, according to LehighValleyLive.

Despite the investigation into Milius, he moved onto the Music Appreciation Floor in Ramer Hall on Oct. 24, according to residents Lauren Kaye ‘25 and William Blair ‘26. The resident advisor for the floor, Duly Olivert ‘25, was not given a reason for Milius’ move.

“I received an email saying that I had a new resident,” Olivert said. “That was about it.”

Olivert received that email on Oct. 24.

According to Emily Rice ‘25, a Music Appreciation Floor resident, students typically fill out an application and are subject to a vote in order to join the floor.

“But we didn’t know anything about him, so obviously we’re going to be welcoming towards someone because that’s just what our community is,” Rice said.

Rice and other residents reported frequently seeing Milius’ parents and dog on the floor.

“It looked as though they were living there,” Rice said.

Per Morse, the college’s investigation into Millius concluded in January. Music Appreciation Floor residents said that Milius did not return for the spring semester.

It is unclear if Milius requested relocation from Rubin Hall or if he was required to leave by the college. It is also unknown whether Milius left the school voluntarily or was expelled.

Morse did not respond to a question about Residence Life and Student Life’s role in Milius’ relocation. Julie Mulé, the senior associate director of Residence Life, declined to comment on the matter, deferring all comments to interim Dean of Students Jenn Dize. 

Dize referred The Lafayette to the Student Code of Conduct when asked how criminal charges affect student enrollment. 

Lafayette’s policy on equal opportunity, harassment and non-discrimination states that the college “will implement the least restrictive emergency actions possible in light of the circumstances and safety concerns.” 

“Removing a student from a residence hall” is one of these options. 

Milius was arraigned Monday before District Judge Robert Christian Weber, who set a $150,000 unsecured bail, meaning no amount of the bail has to be paid upfront, though Milius may be responsible for the amount if he violates any bail conditions or fails to appear at any future court appearances.

Anna Thomas, a public relations administrator for the Northampton County District Attorney’s Office, declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

Public Safety Detective Keith O’Hay was named as the arresting officer in the court records. According to Lieutenant Joe Alonzo of the Easton Police Department, the department has “no record of the investigation” and was not asked to contribute in any way.

“It’s a sensitive subject, and it’s actively being handled right now,” said Jeff Troxell, the director of Public Safety. He declined to comment further “to be fair to everyone involved.”

A preliminary hearing for Milius is set for May 6.

Elisabeth Seidel ‘26, Madeline Marriott ‘24, Andreas Pelekis ‘26, Selma O’Malley ‘26 and Isabella Gaglione ‘25 contributed reporting.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article was published on April 23, 2024.