A Bellingham man banned from Western Washington University in 2018 after pleading guilty to voyeurism for taking photos of female students was arrested on campus again last month — his second campus trespassing arrest within a year.
University Police arrested Charles Gregory Vergin, 65, at approximately 2:57 p.m. on Oct. 16 inside the Wilson Library, on the Haggard Hall side. The arrest came after someone who recognized Vergin reported his presence on campus, according to a campus advisory and a University Police report of the October incident obtained by The Front through a public records request.
Officer Jayson Christopherson located Vergin on the library’s fourth floor, seated at a study desk across from a female student. When Christopherson told Vergin that he was not supposed to be on campus because he had previously trespassed, Vergin did not respond and looked down at the desk, the police report states.
Christopherson handcuffed and escorted Vergin out of the building, cited him on suspicion of first-degree criminal trespass and released him with a copy of his case number and court date after reading him his Miranda rights, according to the report.
University Police Chief Katy Potts confirmed in an email interview that the Oct. 16 arrest followed a previous incident on Nov. 4, 2024, when Vergin was first arrested for trespassing after being banned from campus on May 17, 2018, when he pleaded guilty to voyeurism — making the October arrest his second for alleged trespassing and third arrest on campus overall.
According to a separate University Police report of the November 2024 incident obtained by The Front through a public records request, officers responded to Wilson Library after a female student reported that an older man, later identified as Vergin, had followed her across multiple floors of the building.
Charles Gregory Vergin sits at a study desk inside Wilson Library in November 2024. The image was included in documents released to The Front through a public records request. // Photo courtesy of University Police
The report states that the student told Christopherson, who was the responding officer for the 2024 incident as well, that Vergin sat near her each time she moved, sometimes carrying a book that he did not appear to read, instead staring at her and other women nearby.
She said the behavior had occurred several times during the school year, including one incident that she reported to library staff, and that she no longer went to the library alone because the encounters “creep her out,” the November police report states.
Christopherson wrote that Vergin attempted to leave before being stopped. Vergin admitted to police upon questioning that he was already trespassed from campus, according to the report, so Christopherson escorted him outside, issued a citation, and released him with a court date, instructing him to leave campus.
Vergin pled guilty to the November 2024 trespassing incident in April, according to Whatcom County District Court records.
The recurring trespass incidents involving Vergin have prompted discussion around campus safety and communication protocols when police deal with trespassers at a public university.
“Being able to ask questions and dive deeper into the ‘why’ can help officers determine the best course of action to hopefully stop the unwanted behavior and deter similar interactions,” Potts said.
Still, Potts said, beyond community education about repeated violations or about someone banned for safety or security reasons, “There is not much else we can do.”
For those working in the library during the most recent incident, the university’s rapid communication was notable. Cosmo McAllistor, a student employee at Haggard Hall Library, said the situation reflected a commitment to transparency by Western’s administration.
“It felt like the school wasn’t trying to conceal information,” McAllistor said. “They made an effort to communicate openly with students and staff. I received the email before hearing anything through word of mouth.”
McAllistor also mentioned that additional security measures, such as installing more cameras in high-traffic areas, could further enhance campus safety.
Addressing broader questions about safety and enforcement, Potts described how officers handle trespass cases.
Potts said police determine trespass warnings based on “the totality of a situation.” Once an individual has officially trespassed, officers use their discretion to decide whether to cite or arrest someone who violates the warning, Potts said.
The university revised its trespass policy in early 2025, according to Potts. If a trespassed individual has no police contact for a year, the ban typically expires, but any additional incidents within that year extends it. It’s why Vergin’s ban remains active following his November 2024 police contact.
In a campus-wide email, following Vergin’s most recent arrest in October, the university advised library staff to remain alert and report any sightings of Vergin immediately to University Police.
In the wake of the incident, the university encouraged students and employees to download the new “Western Safe” app, which provides fast access to emergency resources and reporting tools.
Western launched Western Safe back in October 2024, replacing the previous LiveSafe platform. The new app is university-owned and designed to offer expanded features that better serve the campus community.
Through the app, users can contact emergency services, request safety escorts, or use mobile blue light functionality to alert University Police. It also provides access to mental health resources, motorist assistance, virtual walk-alongs and allows users to report suspicious activity, graffiti or maintenance issues through a “Ready Request” feature.
Mishele Ross (she/her) is Junior at Western, majoring in News/Editorial Journalism. When she is not hunting down a source or hiding out in the library writing a story for The Front, you can find her listening to music, bowling, or playing a round of golf. You can reach her at misheleross.thefront@gmail.com.
Janessa Bates (she/her) is a city news writer for The Front this fall quarter. She is currently studying visual journalism and political science at Western. Outside of the newsroom, she co-leads a club called WWU Photo Video Club, enjoys reading and loves to picnic with her dachshund. You can reach her at janessa.thefront@gmail.com.
