BELMONT, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A man who was wanted for inappropriately touching a student when entering Belmont Abbey College’s resident halls on Sunday turned himself in to authorities on Tuesday and has now been released from Mecklenburg County Jail, records show.

John Foster Alexander (Courtesy: MCSO)

John Foster Alexander, 38, was wanted for the accusations of sexual assault and was charged with the following:

  • First-Degree Burglary
  • Felony Breaking/Entering
  • Sexual Battery
  • Second-Degree Trespassing

Mecklenburg County Jail records show he was released at 8:42 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2023. Bond was set at $50,000.

According to dated security footage, the incident happened on Sept. 3, 2023, around 6:45 a.m.

Officials said Alexander entered the dorm hall, got inside one of the rooms, and touched an individual; they also say she screamed and ran away.

“My mom wants me to buy pepper spray just to have that,” said Meghan Adams, a student at the college. “I mean, because, like, why not? But I know. I don’t know.”

Authorities tell QCN Alexander was expected to turn himself in to police on Monday, but he did not until Tuesday, Sept. 5.

(Courtesy: Belmont Abbey College)
(Courtesy: Belmont Abbey College)

“Just, it’s stressing me out knowing that, like, people can just walk in our dorm,” Adams continued. “I just hope they get that security thing fixed soon.”

On Tuesday, officials with the school told QCN that the building is and was “secure.” They said the suspect gained access through an open side door.

A lightning strike caused an issue with the main front door of the building, and school officials said it defaults to locked when that happens. School officials explained that all students must access the hall from the side door using a key card.

Belmont Abbey College issued a statement on Tuesday that said in part:

“We take safety very seriously and have over the years improved many aspects of our campus security.

We’ve installed security cameras, and we are installing new gates, at our entrance as well as at the residential side of campus.

We are also soon rolling out a new policy that requires wearing your ID at all times. And all of our new halls require key card access like this one did.”