University Police arrest six on riot-related charges

CLARIFICATION: Joseph McQuillen only denied committing some of the riot-related charges brought against him.

University Police have identified six students who allegedly started fires and destroyed school property on the campus during the March 4 riot.

The students, whose names were released to The Diamondback on Tuesday, have been charged with a slew of offenses, including disorderly conduct, arson and rioting. Should the six be convicted of the charges, all of which were brought against them by University Poice Lt. Jim Goldsmith, they could face consequences ranging from fines to time in prison.

University Police spokesman Paul Dillon said Goldsmith based most of his investigation on footage logged from 350 security cameras at the university, including the missing 90 minutes from a camera near South Campus Commons building four that spurred widespread controversy and prompted some to insinuate that the university was withholding incriminating information. Goldsmith, the commander of the University Police criminal investigations unit, also conducted interviews with suspects and other witnesses on the scene.

After police had identified the six students, they turned their findings over to the Office of Student Conduct, which would recommend students for suspension or expulsion hearings before the Student Judiciary. Assistant Director of Student Conduct Tammy Saunders said these students will likely have to make their cases for being allowed to continue at this university. Saunders said the students will have go through preliminary interviews in the next few weeks to determine their charges and have an opportunity to respond to them.

And although she couldn't comment on individual cases, Saunders noted engaging in riotous behavior and destroying property is grounds for dismissal. Rioting is not defined in the Code of Student Conduct.

The students will be also be allowed hearings and a chance to appeal their verdicts, should they be dismissed or face other sanctions.

Junior community health major Joseph McQuillen, one of the six arrested students, said he was arrested at his College Park home May 6. He said Goldsmith "bullied" him into an interview, which he would have refused to participate in had he known it would lead to his arrest.

McQuillen, 22, denied committing some of the acts for which he has been criminally charged, including rocking a Shuttle-UM bus.

Dillon declined to comment on McQuillen's statement on Goldsmith but added the investigator is a respected professional within University Police.

"Lt. Goldsmith is a top-notch investigator," he said.

McQuillen, who will be tried in Hyattsville District Court on June 4, said after going through the interview process and being arrested, he has learned his lesson about rioting.

"If there's a future riot, I'm just not going to go with the crowd because it's not worth it," he said. "It's too stressful."

Aside from McQuillen, five other students were arrested within the past week for incidents that happened during the post-Duke basketball game riot. The names of the arrested students, their charges and courts dates are as follows: 

Joseph McQuillen — charged with trespassing and damaging school property, disorderly conduct, failure to obey the lawful order of an officer, rioting, arson in a trash container and malicious destruction of property — court date: June 4

John Winters, 19 — charged with malicious destruction of property — court date: May 28

Joseph Margot, 20 — charged with malicious destruction of property, disorderly conduct and rioting — court date: May 25

Omar Aly, 20 — charged with malicious destruction of property

Alex MacKay Spina, 19 — charged with malicious burning in the second degree, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, malicious destruction of property, trespassing and damaging school property, failure to obey the lawful order of an officer and rioting — court date: June 14

John Celmer, 22 — charged with trespassing and damaging school property, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, failure to obey the lawful order of an officer and rioting — court date: May 26

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