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OREM — A man with a history of mental illness is facing charges accusing him of inappropriately touching a 17-year-old college student.
The incident occurred on the heels of a judge ruling that Jared Alexander Valderrama, 41, of Alpine, is not competent to stand trial in a separate case involving lewdness.
Valderrama was charged Friday in 4th District Court with forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, plus unlawful detention and trespassing, class B misdemeanors.
On July 10, a 17-year-old girl was walking on a sidewalk at Utah Valley University when police say Valderrama approached her and asked if he could walk her home. He then began following the girl. But when Valderrama attempted to grab the girl's phone and she held out her hand to stop him, he grabbed her and pulled her close, according to charging documents.
"(Valderrama) wrapped both arms around the victim, restraining her temporarily from leaving," the charges state, adding that he then inappropriately touched the girl.
Valderrama has a history of trespassing on the campus as well as at the American Fork Library where he was also banned after he was allegedly caught looking at pornography, according to court records.
He has also been charged with lewdness twice in the past year in Lehi Justice Court. Both of those cases, however, were later dismissed. According to an order filed Tuesday in his most recent case, a judge last month found Valderrama not competent to stand trial.
"The court finds that the defendant is currently suffering from a mental illness and does not demonstrate an ability to consult with his attorney nor does he appear to have the ability to have a factual and rational understanding of the courtroom proceedings," according to court records.
Prosecutors have requested that Valderrama be held in the Utah County Jail on his latest charges without the possibility of posting bail pending trial.
