A 65-year old professor at Purdue University was arrested by authorities in connection with drug-related accusations and propositioning women for sexual favors.
Sergey Macheret, 65, was arrested Wednesday after the Lafayette Police Department’s weeks-long investigation into several complaints of a suspicious male approaching women.
The department’s investigation, which began in December, led them to Macheret.
A plainclothes officer reportedly managed to get information that caused police to conduct a traffic stop, leading to his arrest. Details of the information police had were not shared to the public.
Macheret will be charged with making an unlawful proposition, dealing methamphetamine, and possession of methamphetamine.
The department said, “Macheret has since been released after making bail. He was previously booked at the Tippecanoe County Jail.”
Purdue said in a statement, Macheret, who has been a professor of aeronautical and astronautical engineering at the university since 2014, has been “placed on leave.”
“Purdue is aware of the arrest and charges. The university will cooperate fully with the investigation. The employee has been placed on leave pending further updates and legal proceedings and is barred from campus,” added Purdue in a statement. “The School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is working to ensure that undergraduate and graduate student needs are met regarding lectures and labs. Purdue police will assist the Lafayette Police Department with the investigation as needed and cannot offer comment.”
The head of the Purdue School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Bill Crossley, also sent an email to faculty and students.
“Purdue University, and the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, is aware of the arrest of Sergey Macheret. Purdue and AAE will cooperate fully with the investigation,” Crossley said.
“Prof. Macheret has been placed on leave effective immediately, and the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is working to ensure that undergraduate and graduate student needs are met regarding lectures and labs. We will be following up with the students in AAE 334 and with Prof. Macheret’s graduate students and postdocs shortly,” Crossley neatly ended his statement.
