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UW police arrest banned man
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by Nick Penzenstadler
Thursday, September 20, 2007
A man officially banned from stepping foot on the University of Wisconsin campus was arrested Wednesday evening after entering the Red Gym.
Shortly after 6:30 p.m., the UW Police Department, in conjunction with the Madison Police Department, took Albert Wellstein, 52, into custody.
Wellstein, the only person on UW's "ban" list, has exhibited a pattern of harassing behavior on campus toward various members of the campus community, according to a UWPD profile.
The man's actions led the university to take legal action and obtain a restraining order in May for Wellstein for the next four years.
"Mr. Wellstein has a restraining order against him," UWPD Sgt. Michael Newton told The Badger Herald Wednesday night. "Under the terms of the injunction, he can't step foot on campus until 2011."
Newton said the police received information that Wellstein might be attending an event at the Red Gym, and they set out to prevent any further harassment.
"The judge made it very clear that he wasn't allowed there, and he was out on bail on other criminal charges," Newton added.
According to Wisconsin online court documents, Wellstein has outstanding charges for restricted use of unions on UW lands, disorderly conduct, two counts of resisting or obstructing an officer, bail jumping and two counts of threatening injury or harm through a computer message.
Wellstein was due in court next month, but was held on bail Wednesday, and according to the UWPD profile, his restraining order violation could result in 90 days in jail and a fine of $1,000 alone.
Nearly a dozen officers from the MPD and UWPD swarmed the Red Gym Wednesday night as a precaution from previous experience with Wellstein.
“We've had problems in the past, so we asked for assistance with the Madison police," Newton said. "He had armed himself in a prior incident with a baseball bat, so we wanted to be cautious."
Wellstein will be charged Wednesday night on violation of his restraining order on campus as well as bail jumping, and Newton said he will be held on his bond until he posts funds or can see a judge.
Prior to Wellstein's restraining order, he had charges dismissed of disorderly conduct on UW lands in 2004 and restricted use of UW lands in early 2005.
Anonymous (September 20, 2007 @ 1:34pm):
This article fails to mention what Mr. Wellstein was doing at the time. He came to the Red Gym to meet me, his son, for the very first time. But I suppose my mother was right about him - he's just trouble.
-John Wellstein
Anonymous (September 20, 2007 @ 3:15pm):
assuming the previous comment is legitimate, it certainly seems questionable that you would choose the Red Gym as a meeting place. Why not somewhere else that wouldnt be against the restraining order?
Anonymous (September 20, 2007 @ 3:18pm):
honestly...
If you knew he was banned why would you ask him to meet you at the school?
Anonymous (September 20, 2007 @ 9:45pm):
Honestly...
I am sad that anyone fell for that fake post. Meet his son for the first time... Good one!
Anonymous (October 4, 2007 @ 8:00am):
I am a family member and he doesn't have a son John. Why someone would post that, unless they were Albert, is beyond me.
Anonymous (October 4, 2007 @ 8:49am):
He has no son named John. It is a fake post.
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