Police are investigating 'indecent acts' in Houston Hall

Acts of indecent exposure involving a Penn lecturer in Houston Hall are being investigated by the police.

Vice President for Communications Stephen MacCarthy confirmed in an email that “the Philadelphia Police Department’s Special Victim’s Unit, in conjunction with the Penn Police Detective Bureau, are investigating reports of indecent acts inside of Houston Hall involving a Penn Lecturer.”

MacCarthy added that the lecturer has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation and is no longer on campus.

MacCarthy declined to comment further because the investigation is still ongoing. The Philadelphia Police Department also declined to comment for this story, citing a policy not to comment on ongoing investigations.

According to local news station Fox 29, the lecturer worked in the Department of Anthropology. The lecturer taught classes and also recently moderated an international seminar.

One of the incidents in which the lecturer was allegedly involved occurred in April, according to the Fox 29 report. The other act occurred in May.

Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology Asif Agha deferred comment for this article to MacCarthy. The Division of Public Safety — which operates the UPPD Detective Bureau — also deferred comment to University Communications, citing the fact that it does not comment on ongoing investigations.

In Pennsylvania, indecent exposure is a misdemeanor offense that occurs when a person exposes his or her genitals in any public place or in any place where others are present. Being found guilty of this offense could come with a prison sentence of as high as five years, depending on whether there were persons under the age of 16 present at the time of the incident.

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