Augusta University has released a statement after a shocking arrest of an illegal immigrant for sneaking into a high-security laboratory on campus April 2.
The suspect, 23-year-old Jaspreet Singh, snuck into the cadaver lab and was later found with ammunition, a large amount of cocaine and stolen credit cards. He also had two pending felony warrants, according to an AU police report. The arrest came just six weeks after the high-profile murder of Laken Riley in Athens.
In the statement, Augusta University said it is committed to protecting the health, safety and well-being of its students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus.
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“Augusta University police officers recently responded to alerts that two individuals who are under trespass warnings at the university were seen loitering on campus and inside a restricted campus facility,” the statement said. “As per proper procedure, the individuals were located, detained and questioned. One of the individuals was transported to the Richmond County jail for processing.”
The drama unfolded the afternoon of Tuesday, April 2, when an employee with the Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy called campus police to report two men circling the building at 1460 Laney Walker Boulevard, pictured below.
“(The suspects) had snuck in behind another employee somehow and gained access to the cadaver lab, a highly secure area,” the report says.
Both men were kicked out of the Sanders Research and Education Building by another employee and were sitting behind the building along Laney Walker Boulevard, charging their phones.
“This building is a secure building that requires badge access to enter,” the report says.
One of the men, identified as 24-year-old Inderjeet Singh, was found, checked for warrants and ordered to leave.
But it took them an hour to find Jaspreet Singh, and it happened when he returned to the campus. They realized he had been on campus before and was put on a trespass list after he was found loitering in a parking deck and observed to be peering into vehicles. Police had his photo on file.
A campus police officer eventually found Jaspreet Singh wandering near AU Parking Deck #3 on Laney Walker Boulevard. The suspect said he knew he was trespassed from the university on March 12 but claimed he was looking for a friend and was charging his phone using the university’s outlet. A booking sheet lists him as homeless.
After being handcuffed, officers searched the man’s backpack and his clothing, including jackets and vests with several pockets. They made some disturbing discoveries:
• A prescription drug vial containing several shotgun shells and bullets.
• A plastic bag containing 26.5 grams of white in color crystalline powder that tested positive for cocaine.
• Glass smoking pipes, syringes, straws, piece of brillo wire, multiple foil/paper pouches, marijuana pouches, plastic baggies and a pill container.
• Six stolen debit cards that had other people’s names.
From the AU report: “A criminal history check of Jaspreet Singh was requested. Jaspreet has two pending felony charges.”
He was taken to jail and charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, financial transaction card theft, criminal trespassing and possession and use of drug-related objects. He also has a hold for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Richmond County authorities arrested Jaspreet Singh in Aug. 30 for meth possession and forgery. But No I.C.E. hold was put on him at the time and he was eventually allowed to bond out as he awaits trial.
Augusta University said their campus Police Department recently received a U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Technology Grant that will provide additional camera coverage across campus and new video analytics capabilities to identify potential suspects more easily. The grant will also provide for license plate reader technology for use in identifying vehicles that are on alert lists.
“The Augusta University Police Department will continue to enforce Georgia’s vehicle and criminal laws, along with university policies and regulations, to ensure the safety of the university’s campuses,” the AU statement said.
This month’s AU arrest and breach came just six weeks after student Laken Riley was killed by an illegal immigrant on the campus of UGA in Athens.
Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University, was abducted and killed – allegedly by José Antonio Ibarra – while she was jogging at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Her body was found in Oconee Forest Park near Lake Herrick; her death was caused by blunt force trauma.
The suspect, José Antonio Ibarra, is a 26-year-old Venezuelan who had entered the United States illegally. He was arrested by UGA police and has been charged with felony murder, false imprisonment, and kidnapping.
The murder made international news, generating extensive media attention. According to Wikipedia, it sparked a debate over immigration in the United States after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that the suspect is not a U.S. citizen and was caught crossing the border but was released into the United States.
On March 7, 2024, the House of Representatives passed an immigration bill named the Laken Riley Act, requiring federal detention of migrants who commit burglary or theft.
