SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - A fifth man was arrested Tuesday in connection with an attack Dec. 4, 2011, at a Penn State Schuylkill off-campus apartment building that left three men injured.
Eric M. Booker, 20, of 1513 Belmont Ave., Philadelphia, was picked up and returned to Schuylkill County charged with four felony counts each of aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery; one felony count each of burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit criminal trespass; four misdemeanor counts each of recklessly endangering another person and conspiracy to commit recklessly endangering another person.
Booker was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, Orwigsburg, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $20,000 straight cash bail.
Booker's arrest follows the arrests of four other men in the weeks following the attack.
On Christmas Eve, police arrested Alfred Booker, 1513 Belmont St., Philadelphia, and charged him with four felony counts each of aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery; one felony count each of burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit criminal trespass; four misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit recklessly endangering another person and one misdemeanor count of recklessly endangering another person.
Just hours later, on Christmas day, police charged Leonard L. Stubbs, 5452 Regent St., Philadelphia, with identical charges for his role in the attack.
Just days after the attack, on Dec. 8 and 6 respectively, police arrested Christopher Scott, who lives at 204 University Drive, Schuylkill Haven, and Christopher Cheese, 1801 W. Market St., Pottsville, for their roles in the attacks.
Both men face the same charges as Alfred and Eric Booker and Leonard Stubbs.
The attack on Dec. 4 sent Julian E. Coutourieri, Michael Williams and Sammuel Haiger to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. All have since recovered from their injuries, police said.
A fourth victim, Jaquon Wilson, was not injured.
Schuylkill Haven police Patrolman Vince McDonald, the arresting officer, said Scott, Cheese, Alfred Booker, Eric Booker and Stubbs were part of a group of at least 15 people who arrived at the apartment building in two vehicles just after 8 p.m., stormed inside and brutally beat Coutourieri, Williams and Haiger, causing severe head injuries to all three.
The group then went to the apartment where Wilson was and stole a laptop computer, a cellphone and an iPod.
McDonald said police did not initially know who committed the attacks but obtained surveillance video from Penn State Schuylkill and from the security cameras at the apartment building. McDonald said Wilson and Coutourieri viewed the security video and identified their attackers.
When interviewed, McDonald said Scott told him that he and Alfred Booker were the drivers of the vehicles that went to the complex and that when he went inside, Alftred Booker and Cheese were already involved in the attacks.
Scott also said that Alfred Booker was inside the bedroom where the victims were assaulted.
The investigation led to Stubbs being identified through photographs on his Facebook page being compared to video footage from the night of the attacks.
When interviewed, McDonald said Cheese told officers that Eric Booker contacted several people from the Philadelphia area to assist in the assault - the same people who were eventually identified as carrying out the attack.
Cheese also admitted entering the building behind Eric Booker and several others directly involved in the attacks.
Police Sgt. Robert Phillips said it is believed the incident stems from a pickup basketball game held days before at the campus between a group of students from the Philadelphia area against students from the New York City area.
Because of something that happened at the game, Phillips said a group of family members or friends of the Philadelphia students came to the area to retaliate.