Georgia State Police made two separate arrests outside of the Georgia State University Center in January on charges of Criminal Trespass.

Steven Elton Young of Lawrenceville was arrested by Georgia State Police on charges of Disorderly Conduct, Simple Battery, and Terroristic Threats resulting from an altercation started by Young inside the University Bookstore against employees; in addition, Young was issued a Criminal Trespass Warning.

Officer Paul Desvignes served as the reporting officer for the incident that occurred January 11 at approximately 4:20 PM. According to the official police report, Wade Stanley Douglas, director of the University Bookstore, overheard the suspect, Young, shouting obscenities at an employee of the bookstore, Oriana Gattis. 

Douglas approached Young and requested that Young stop cursing and leave the bookstore. Young refused, choosing instead to continue verbally assaulting members of the staff. In particular, Young ran into Douglas and threatened physical harm.

Young left before Officer Paul Desvignes, the reporting officer, could reach the University Bookstore, but was detained by Officer Bankhead at the Courtland St. entrance of the University Center. According to Desvignes’ narrative, “Upon my arrival, I observed Mr. Young to be openly hostile and visibly irate.”

Young refused at the time to be interviewed by the officers, instead choosing to continue his string of obscenities, this time directed at the officers. Douglas let the officers know that he wished to prosecute Young and have him banned from the University Bookstore. Young was then placed under arrest.

Desvignes reports that Young then began coughing and showing signs of breathing problems, but refused to talk to officers as they attempted to diagnose Young’s potential medical emergency. Young did admit that he suffers from Multiple Sclerosis due to a stint in the military.

Emergency Medical personnel from Grady promptly arrived at the scene to evaluate Young’s condition. Young reportedly became verbally abusive again and refused the services of the EMS. Young also verbally assaulted Douglas, who was standing close by. Desvignes moved Young to evade further provocation.

Young’s wife, when contacted by Desvignes, reported that Young is prescribed on several medications, and mentioned that hostile behavior was possibly a sign that he was not on the medications at the time.

Desvignes and Bankhead transferred Young to Fulton County Jail with no additional problems. Young was issued a Criminal Trespass Warning from the University Bookstore for two years, which he signed and stated that he understood.

At press time, the pending charges against Young were being deliberated in a grand jury forum. 

A second arrest was made outside of the University Bookstore on January 19 in an unrelated incident. Georgia State Police arrested Paul Lewis Mars of Douglasville on a Criminal Trespass charge.

Officer Anthony Smitha observed Mars outside of Library North on the afternoon of January 19 and discovered that Mars fit the description of a snatch thief from a crime the previous day in Library North.

Mars walked away from Library North after failing to enter. Smitha followed Mars and made contact with the suspect outside of University Center. When asked if Officer Smitha could be of assistance, Mars stated that he was looking for the library. Smitha then told Mars that he had observed Mars’ attempt to enter just moments earlier.

A GCIC and Criminal Trespass check by Smitha revealed that Mars was issued a prior Criminal Trespass Warning on October 21, 2005 for Panhandling and told not to return for a period of two years. Mars was then arrested for Criminal Trespass and taken to Georgia State Police Headquarters for processing.

Mars was issued a second Criminal Trespass Warning for a two year period. Later, Mars was taken to Fulton County Jail.