Police Set To Arrest Alleged Rapist

Harvard University Police said they are close to arresting a man who allegedly posed as a University official and then sexually abused two male students in Harvard's summer secondary school program.

In a flier distributed to all Summer School students Thursday night, University officials warned that a man--who often claimed to be an admissions officer--had approached several students in the secondary school program.

University officials said the man told the students he could either help them get into Harvard College, or assist them in some other way. According to the note, the man then took at least two of these students to dinner, "served them large quantities of alcohol, brought them back to his apartment, and has engaged them in sex against their will."

Paul E. Johnson, who is chief of the Harvard University Police, said yesterday that the police had singled out a likely culprit, and were nearly prepared to apprehend him.

"We have a definite suspect," said Johnson. "We expect to act soon."

While only two students have come forward to lodge official complaints, Chris Queen, the summer school's dean of students, said that others--both male and female--have reported being approached by the suspect. A number of students called the police after they saw the flier, and said they were approached by a man fitting the same description, both Queen and Johnson said.

According to the official notice, the suspect is a slender [Black] male, in his late 20s or early 30s, speaking with an accent, slightly balding, graying at the temples and presentably dressed. This person has no affiliation with Harvard."

"I think the police are familiar with this individual," Queen said. "He has been quite active, from what we can tell."

Johnson concurred, "This person has been going around for a while."

"Our desire is to alert as many students as possible to the danger," Queen said.

Summer school officials are asking anyone with information about the suspect to contact both the University Police and an assistant dean for the summer school.

Queen said that to the best of his knowledge, this is the first time a sexual molester, trying to catch his victims off-guard, has posed as a Harvard University official.