A man suspended from Cazenovia College last year after being accused of raping a fellow student has been indicted by a Madison County grand jury and was arraigned Friday, April 3, in Madison County Court.
Jeffrey Diaz, 22, of New York City, was arrested by Cazenovia Police and charged with rape in the first degree and performing a criminal sex act in the first degree, both Class B felonies. At his arraignment he was given until Monday, April 6, to post a bond of $35,000 or he will be remitted to jail, according to Cazenovia police.
“Ultimately, this will go to trial,” said Cazenovia Police Chief Michael Hayes.
Assistant district attorneys in the county district attorney’s office who prosecuted the indictment and arraignment were unavailable for comment before press time.
Diaz’s indictment stems from a May 3, 2014 incident during which he allegedly raped a female student in one of Cazenovia College dorm rooms. Only days after the incident, the college celebrated its graduation and the alleged victim left Cazenovia for her home in Hawaii.
“This was a difficult case because of the victim’s location; we had to get statements from her,” Hayes said. “Generally, your victim is right in the area. That wasn’t the case here; she was thousands of miles away.”
The victim did return to Madison County last week in order to testify against Diaz at the grand jury, Hayes said.
Diaz, the alleged perpetrator, who was a junior classman at the time, also left Cazenovia after the incident occurred and went to his home in New York City, Hayes said.
According to an article in the winter 2013 issue of Cazenovia College Magazine, Diaz’s sister and brother-in-law are both New York City police officers.
Diaz was suspended from Cazenovia College at the conclusion of the spring 2014 semester pending a formal college judicial board hearing on the alleged rape incident, said Carol Satchwell, Cazenovia College vice president for institutional advancement. That hearing did not occur because Diaz “chose not to return to Cazenovia College,” she said.
“A report of sexual assault was made to the college and we followed an internal review process. The college follows its long established internal student code of conduct, judicial and reporting procedures in accordance with all regulations,” Satchwell said.
“The college continues to take such matters seriously and never waivers in our concern for our students safety and welfare,” said Cazenovia College President Mark Tierno.
Once the indictment was handed down against Diaz, his attorney called him in New York City and told him to appear Friday morning for arraignment in county court, which he did, Hayes said.
After the arraignment, Diaz was transported to the Cazenovia Police Station, where he was booked, photographed and fingerprinted.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
