Wilkes takes security precautions after former student released from jail

A former Wilkes University student arrested this month on charges that he threatened several students inside the school’s theater center is no longer in police custody and his whereabouts are unknown, leading the school to take new security measures.

A letter from Wilkes president Dr. Greg Cant, sent to students and faculty members on Monday evening, said that Max Liebetrau, 22, is no longer in police custody after his arrest on April 1.

“As many of you know, a number of our performing arts students have been the focus of disturbing messages and behaviors of a former Wilkes University student,” Cant said. “This individual is no longer in police custody and their whereabouts are unknown. This has created a significant amount of emotional duress to the students who have previously been contacted by this individual.”

According to court records cited in a prior Times Leader story about Liebetrau, he was charged by Wilkes University police for an incident on March 30 at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center.

Liebetrau allegedly approached a female student and asked her to send a message to a male student: “you need to send (male student’s name) a message right (expletive) now, and tell him he needs to stay away from what is mine or I’ll (expletive) kill him. Tell him right (expletive) now. Get in the theater and tell him that right now.”

In his letter to the Wilkes community, Cant detailed a few security measures that the university is taking while Liebetrau’s whereabouts remain unknown.

• Increased police patrols throughout campus;

• Access to the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center will be limited to the classroom entrance in the front of the building via Wilkes ID swipe access only;

• Wilkes is working with a number of local and national agencies to locate Liebetrau, including the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s office, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s office and the Kingston Police Department.

Cant stressed in his letter that no threats have been made to the broader Wilkes community, and that the university has no knowledge of Liebetrau’s intent to attempt a return to campus.

“If they do,” Cant said, “they will be taken into custody.”

Classes and activities will continue as planned, according to the letter, though performances of “Lord of the Flies” have been canceled due to interrupted rehearsal time.

Anyone who sees Liebetrau or knows his whereabouts is asked to contact Wilkes University Police at 570-408-4999.