URBANA — Two former University of Illinois students have been charged with residential burglary for allegedly ransacking a man’s apartment and trying to pin it on another man whom they allegedly targeted in a May 2019 incident for which they were also criminally charged.

William Farrell, 24, of Wadsworth was charged in a Jan. 16 break-in at an apartment in the 300 block of East John Street, Champaign, while Summer S. Naqvi, 22, of Skokie was charged with the same crime under the theory she was accountable for Farrell’s actions even though she was not present.

State’s Attorney Julia Rietz said the apartment was rented by a man who was dating Naqvi and that she suggested to police that a former boyfriend of hers may have been responsible for the break-in. The man she told police may have done it was also the alleged victim of a crime with which Naqvi and Farrell were charged in May.

+2 UI prof's accuser, roommate accused of holding ex at knifepoint, deleting files State's Attorney Julia Rietz said Summer Sundas Naqvi, 21, and William Farrell, 23, allegedly intimidated Naqvi's ex so she could delete information that the victim believed was related to her allegations against economics Professor Joe Petry.

In that earlier case, Naqvi and Farrell were charged with intimidation and aggravated unlawful restraint for allegedly holding the man at knifepoint while deleting files from his computer that were reportedly related to Naqvi’s allegations of sexual harassment against former UI economics Professor Joe Petry. In early May, Naqvi identified herself on social media as the woman who accused Petry a month earlier.

In late April, Petry announced his retirement from the UI, effective May 31, as part of an agreement he entered into with the university in exchange for it dropping the sexual-harassment investigation.

The allegations against Naqvi and Farrell in the earlier criminal case were that on May 2, Farrell struggled with Naqvi’s then-boyfriend in his Urbana apartment while Naqvi deleted files on his computer. They came to light a few days later when the Urbana man went to police. Neither Naqvi nor Farrell, who were roommates at the time, have had those charges resolved.

Rietz said Champaign police were called to the John Street apartment about 3:10 a.m. Jan. 16 by the victim, who had returned with Naqvi and found it ransacked and a laptop destroyed. However, there was no forced entry and nothing was missing, Rietz said.

Rietz said Naqvi suggested to police that her ex-boyfriend may have been responsible for the ransacking. She also told police her car had been stolen the night before and that she and her current boyfriend were looking for it while his apartment was being ransacked.

Rietz said police learned that Naqvi had the keys to the apartment and she allegedly gave them to Farrell so he could ransack it and damage the computer while she kept the man busy looking for her car.

Farrell was arrested in Lake County last week, posted bond and appeared in Champaign County on Monday. Judge Adam Dill told him to be back March 10.

Naqvi was arrested in Skokie last week, posted bond and is supposed to appear in Champaign County on March 6.