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A former Utah State University student suspected of sexually assaulting women at the Sigma Chi fraternity house appeared in court Thursday on charges connected with two alleged victims.
Jason Brian Relopez, 27, was charged Thursday in 1st District Court with one count each of aggravated sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping and rape, all first-degree felonies.
During an initial court appearance, Judge Brian Cannell found Relopez was indigent and appointed a lawyer to represent him. Another hearing is set for Tuesday.
Logan police arrested Relopez earlier this week on suspicion of seven counts of rape, in connection with three alleged victims. At least two of the women are students who were reportedly assaulted at the fraternity house, 705 E. 800 North, said police Capt. Tyson Budge.
The case came to light after a young woman contacted police alleging "that sexual assaults had occurred" at the fraternity house earlier this month, according to police.
"During the course of the investigation it was learned several other young women had made reports to [USU] victim services concerning Mr. Relopez," a news release reads.
Two more alleged victims came forward and reported similar events allegedly had occurred between October 2014 and July 2015.
Relopez, who lists his home state as California, was booked into the Cache County Jail. The judge on Thursday ordered him held without bail.
USU spokesman Tim Vitale said Relopez — a student since 2012, who was studying computer science — had been suspended Wednesday and was banned from the university campus.
Though Vitale could not confirm whether Relopez is a member of the fraternity, he was living in the fraternity house.
Vitale said discussions were taking place Thursday regarding what action to take regarding the fraternity.
"We want some things to happen," he said. "This is an extremely important safety issue for us."
Meanwhile, the police investigation is ongoing. Patterns and similarities between the cases have led Logan police to believe that there may be more victims.
Anyone with information about these allegations or similar incidents is asked to call Detective Brandon Bevan at 435-716-9357.
This is the second time this year a USU fraternity has been linked to an alleged sexual assault case.
Former USU Pi Kappa Alpha president Ryan Wray, 26, was charged in April with second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse.
Budge has said that Wray would care for people who "could no longer take care of themselves" during parties at the off-campus fraternity house.
"Several of the girls got talking and realized that they may have been taken advantage of," between last October and Wray's March arrest, Budge said. One of the college-age women gave a statement to the police, and Wray confessed during a police interview "to inappropriate touching," Budge said.
Wray was in court earlier this month, when he waived his right to a preliminary hearing. He is expected back in court on Aug. 24 for a pretrial conference. If convicted as charged, he could face up to 15 years in prison.