The case of a UB employee charged with stalking and public lewdness began proceedings in Amherst Town Court this week, but it will not be resolved until after the end of the semester.
Keith Bromstead, 32, a custodial worker for University Residence Halls and Apartments, appeared in court Tuesday after being arraigned in late October on public lewdness and third-degree stalking charges. He was arrested in the early morning hours of Oct. 6 near the Ellicott Complex for an incident involving a 29-year-old woman.
Bromstead, who has been suspended from UB since the arrest, has made multiple court appearances since his arraignment and is not currently incarcerated. An Order of Protection has been issued to keep him away from the alleged victim.
Bromstead does not have keys or access to UB buildings, according to a prior statement made by URH&A director Joseph Krakowiak. According to a source familiar with the situation, the lewdness charge is for public masturbation, and there had been prior student complaints concerning Bromstead, but those were never documented.
Campus police have declined to comment whether the woman involved is affiliated with UB.
Under state law, public lewdness -- intentionally exposing private or intimate body parts in public and/or with the intent to be observed publicly -- is a class B misdemeanor.
Stalking in the third degree is a class A misdemeanor and is the result of either a repeat offense or intent to harass, annoy, alarm, cause fear of physical injury or commission sex from a person.
Director of Public Safety John Grela said he was unable to comment because the case is still ongoing. He said the Oct. 6 arrest was made by both NYS University Police and Amherst police.
The case has yet to yield an acquittal or a conviction. Bromstead is due back in court Jan. 3, 2006, after the court's winter recess.
Photo: Courtesy of SUNY
