Content warning: references to sexual assault and/or other triggering descriptions

The UWPD arrested a Nebraska man on Sunday following a sexual assault in a Southeast Residence Hall, according to a UWPD report.

Police responded to a call at 3:20 a.m. Sunday for a report of sexual assault. The suspect is Maxwell Sanders, 19, from Omaha, Nebraska, who was invited into the UW dorm by a friend. According to the report, Sanders allegedly “inappropriately touched another resident and then tried to gain access to other residence hall rooms.”

Sanders eventually left to go to a different residence hall, where officers identified him and brought him into custody. Sanders was booked into the Dane County Jail on tentative charges of fourth degree sexual assault and disorderedly conduct.

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Fourth degree sexual assault includes having sexual contact with a person without that person’s consent. A person who commits fourth degree sexual assault can be imprisoned for up to nine months in a county jail and/or fined not more than $10,000.

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Sanders has no affiliation with UW, according to the report.

Another sexual assault in the Southeast Residence Halls was reported in September 2021. A 2019 survey documented an increase in sexual assaults on college campuses from 2015 to 2019.

For victims of sexual assault or dating violence, University Health Services offers many support resources, such as mental health care, victim advocacy and medical care. More resources can be found on UHS’s survivor services website.

UWPD encourages other victims to call (608) 264-2677 to file a report.