A Dorchester man was held on $5,000 cash bail today following his arraignment for allegedly sneaking into the women’s restroom at the Boston Public Library and peeking into an occupied stall, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said, but even if the defendant posts that amount he’ll be held for violating the terms of his ongoing probation.

JOSEPH D. BANKS (D.O.B. 6/20/63) was arraigned on charges of lewd, wanton, and lascivious conduct, disorderly conduct, and trespassing. Assistant District Attorney Spencer Lord recommended that he be held on $7,500 cash bail; Boston Municipal Court Judge Thomas C. Horgan set bail in the lower amount but ordered Banks held pending a probation surrender hearing in connection with 2010 assault and larceny convictions.

At Lord’s request, Horgan additionally ordered Banks to stay away from the victim and the Boston Public Library’s Copley branch while the case is open.

Boston Police responded to the Boylston Street library at about 6:15 on the evening of March 29 for a report of a peeping tom. There they met the victim, a Randolph woman, who reported that she had been in a ladies’ room stall when she heard the bathroom door open and close and saw a pair of large tan boots walk by. Moments later, she saw a man staring at her through a crack in the stall door.

When she screamed, she said, the man ran out of the room.

Based on the woman’s description, Boston Police detectives assigned to District 4 in the days that followed circulated Banks’ photograph internally as a possible suspect. An officer recognized that photo as belonging to a man arrested on March 30 for a similar offense at Northeastern University. At the time of that arrest, Banks was wearing clothing identical to that described by the Boston Public Library victim.

Banks was arraigned on that case in Roxbury District Court on April 1. Prosecutors recommended that he be held on $500 cash bail and wear a GPS tracking device if he posted that amount; Judge Kenneth Fiandaca released him on his own recognizance, ordering him to wear the GPS device and stay away from the victim and the Snell Library at Northeastern University. Suffolk prosecutors have already moved to revoke his bail in that case at a June 6 hearing.

Armed with information on the Northeastern case, Boston Police spoke with the Boston Public Library victim again on April 6 and showed her a photo array that included Banks’ picture. The woman picked out Banks’ photograph. Boston Police then obtained a complaint against Banks in the Boston Municipal Court.

Banks was represented today by attorney William Roa. He will return to the Boston Municipal Court on June 16.