An Essex Junction man who is listed on Vermont's Sex Offender Registry has been accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a female University of Vermont student after gaining access to her dormitory and sending her suicidal messages.

Tyson Cyphers, 37, pleaded not guilty in Vermont Superior Court on Monday to charges of repeated aggravated sexual assault, stalking and grand larceny. He faces a possible sentence of life in prison if convicted.

Cyphers has been ordered jailed without bail pending a hearing on March 6 to review his bail situation. State prosecutors have requested Cyphers be held without bail throughout his case.

Cyphers' listing on the Vermont Sex Offender Registry shows he was convicted of two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct in 2004. He is listed as being "not high risk," meaning the Department of Corrections determined he did not pose a high risk of committing another sex offense. He is also listed as being "non-compliant" with sex offender registry rules.

The University of Vermont issued a statement Sunday, expressing that the university is "deeply concerned" about the incident.

"We are thankful for the prompt police action that resulted in the suspect’s arrest. Our victim’s advocate, as well as all other counseling and support services are available to the victim and any other individuals who may have been affected.

UVM Police Services is working closely with other police agencies and, given the circumstances surrounding this incident, police do not believe that there is any ongoing threat to the community."

CUSI Detective Cpl. Rene Young encouraged students always to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to police or campus authorities.

"You'd rather be safe than sorry," Young said.

Police: Cyphers said his plan was to make accuser 'hate him'

Detectives from the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations responded to the sexual assault report at the University of Vermont on Saturday. The woman who said she was raped told police she knew Cyphers, according to an affidavit.

The Burlington Free Press does not identify people who say they are victims of sex crimes without their permission.

The woman told police that Cyphers somehow gained access to her dorm building, and he texted her saying that he was outside of her door in the hall and that he was going to cut his wrists out there. At that point, the woman opened her door and allowed Cyphers to enter.

Cyphers locked the bedroom door and "he said he was set on a plan to make her hate him," an affidavit states. He forced himself on her, with both vaginal and oral intercourse.

The woman said that during the assault, Cyphers put his hand around her throat, "which caused her to feel a little light headed."

"Cyphers was telling her that he wanted her to hate him and to tell him that she was afraid of him," the affidavit states.

In both cases, the woman either told Cyphers to stop or attempted to push him off of her, according to the affidavit.

Cyphers stopped when the woman's roommate began to try to unlock the door. Cyphers then took several valuable items from her room, the affidavit states. Cyphers also attempted to take the woman's cell phone, but she was able to get it back.

While she was meeting with University of Vermont police later in the day, the woman received several text messages from an unknown number saying that Cyphers had committed suicide and that he did it with assistance, the affidavit states.

Court papers: Cyphers had expressed suicidal thoughts in days prior

The woman's roommate told police that the victim told her she had been trying to cut ties with Cyphers. However, he kept threatening to kill himself, so the victim felt obligated to speak to him.

The roommate said she was aware of an instance where someone told the accuser that he or she saw Cyphers sitting in the Davis Center waiting for her after the woman had blocked him on social media. More recently, the roommate saw Cyphers leaving in his vehicle as she was pulling up to the residence hall, the affidavit shows.

Several days prior to the assault, Cyphers had come to campus and was waiting for the woman outside her class. She had not invited him to campus, she told police, according to an affidavit.

"When she tried to walk away, Cyphers stated he was going to kill himself," the affidavit states.

The woman told police she took Cyphers to the University of Vermont Medical Center Emergency Department, and she stayed with him for eight hours. He was released into her custody and she went back to his home with him to stay with him for the night, the affidavit states.

On the day she made the rape report, a "be on the lookout" alert had also been issued for Cyphers by Essex Police after Cyphers told his father he was having suicidal ideations.

After the alleged rape, Cypher's mother reported to police that she had received concerning text messages from her son.

"I did something really bad mom," Cypher wrote in a text message, saying he forced himself on the woman. "I made her hate me so I can do this and not feel bad about doing what I need to do. ... I'm scum and I had to make her hate me this is the only way."

In the message, he wrote that he is not going to jail, and he bid his mother goodbye. She sent several messages back to him encouraging him not to give up. One of the messages from Cyphers expressed anger toward his mother for calling the police when he continued to threaten suicide.

Police entered Cyphers' house right after suicide attempt

Later Saturday, a different woman reported to police that Cyphers had been speaking to her over FaceTime and was taking pills and appeared to be drinking alcohol with them, according to court papers.

Due to the emergency circumstances, police entered Cyphers' home right away. When they breached Cyphers' bedroom door, they found him laying on his back on the bed. He was lethargic and slow to cooperate with commands, but he cooperated with police, court papers show.

Police took Cyphers into custody. While being handcuffed, he said something to the effect of, "My friends would want me to tell you I sexually assaulted that girl, and I did," the affidavit states.

Authorities eventually took him to the University of Vermont Medical Center for a brief stay. While being transported, according to the affidavit, he made a comment "to the effect of, 'Whatever you do you won't be able to stop this, this will happen again.'"

Contact Elizabeth Murray at 651-4835 or emurray@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LizMurrayBFP.