Rutgers Dean Charged With 'Upskirting'

A longtime Rutgers University dean and professor is facing a criminal charge after investigators say they found an "upskirt" video on one of his devices. Josh Kohut, 51, dean of research at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, was arrested Monday and charged with fourth-degree invasion of privacy, per the New York Times. Prosecutors accuse him of "upskirting"—taking unauthorized photos or videos under a woman's skirt. He secretly recorded an individual's "undergarment-clad intimate parts" using his phone, said New Jersey's acting attorney general, referring to "videos" in the plural.

Rutgers says Kohut, an oceanographer who joined the university in the late 1990s and once won a teaching award, has been placed on administrative leave and banned from campus in the face of the "extremely disturbing charges." An initial investigation led to five electronic devices being seized under a search warrant executed Monday, per USA Today. The victim hasn't been named and it's unclear if the alleged behavior occurred on campus. Anyone with information on other possible victims is asked to call the state Department of Law and Public Safety at 609-780-5449, per WHYY. A conviction on the current charges could bring up to 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine.