The Helena Police Department announced Thursday the arrest of a former Carroll College student on felony counts of Surreptitious Visual Observation, Aggravated Sexual Intercourse without Consent, and Sexual Abuse of Children.
According to a news release, police arrested 22-year-old Conner Andrew Jones in the Denver, Colorado, area on Wednesday.
Helena police say their investigation began back in February after receiving a complaint about a Carroll College student. A faculty member reported finding what appeared to be hidden camera recordings taken in a bathroom.
Police were able to identify the victims and after speaking with them, executed a search warrant on Jones' on-campus apartment.
Detectives say an analysis of numerous recording devices, memory cards, flash drives, and computers seized turned up videos depicting what appeared to rapes of incapacitated individuals, and hundreds of images of suspected child pornography.
Jones is charged with a total of 18 counts of Surreptitious Visual Observation, two counts of Aggravated Sexual Intercourse without Consent, and Sexual Abuse of Children.
He is currently being held on $250,000 bond in the Adam's County Detention Center in Colorado. According to the jail roster he is due in court Friday at 8:30 a.m.
Carroll College told MTN they have been fully cooperating with law enforcement since first contacted in February, and thank officials for all their efforts and hard work in this case.
Carroll College President Dr. John Cech said, “Carroll College is profoundly disturbed by these allegations regarding Mr. Jones. Our top priority is the well-being of the victims subjected to these outrageous criminal acts, and the college will continue to do everything within our power to protect their privacy, and offer them supportive services they may need throughout this process. Our care and concern is for them. Nothing is more important to Carroll College than the safety of our students. This is not who we are, and the college unequivocally condemns the alleged acts and sexual violence and harassment in all its forms. The charges represent a violation of everything we stand for as a Catholic community, in particular our respect for the dignity of every person.”
The college says they've conducted their own internal investigation into the matter consistent with Title IX procedures.
Carroll is encouraging anyone who believes they may have been victimized, or may have information that could assist in the investigations, to immediately reach out to SafeReports@carroll.edu.
