Penn State Professor Themis Matsoukas Accused of Having Sex With His Dog In Public

An award-winning Penn State professor is facing charges after allegedly being caught on camera performing lewd acts with a dog in Rothrock State Forest.

According to the Daily Mail, Themis Matsoukas, a 64-year-old Penn State chemical engineering professor, was charged in Huntingdon County on Monday with misdemeanor counts of open lewdness, indecent exposure, and sexual intercourse with an animal, as well as summary counts of cruelty to animals and disorderly conduct.

The DCNR installed a trail camera in the parking lot of the Alan Seeger Natural Area in Jackson Township on April 12th to identify individuals who were stealing bags of hand sanitizer from public restrooms, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by a DCNR ranger.

The camera allegedly captured multiple brief videos of a man later identified as Matsoukas — who was naked except for a ski mask, wristwatch, boots, and backpack — masturbating near the women’s restroom and then engaging in a sexual act with a dog around 8 p.m. the following day. Matsoukas was also seen in the videos recording himself with an iPad.

According to the affidavit, Matsoukas’ location was near a road frequented by visitors to the Alan Seeger picnic area, leased camps, Penn Roosevelt State Park, and the Greenwood Fire Tower.

The owners of two private camps surrounded by Rothrock also contacted state forest staff after discovering images of a man naked from the waist down on their trail cameras, according to a ranger. According to the affidavit, investigators identified Matsoukas as the man in each of the six photos, which dated back to 2014.

Matsoukas reappeared on the DCNR trail camera on May 16th, and his vehicle registration helped identify him.

On June 9th, investigators executed a search warrant at Matsoukas’ home in the State College area and discovered an iPad, backpack, ski mask, watch, and boots that appeared to match those seen in the video.

When investigators arrived, Matsoukas allegedly denied having the items, but then became upset and said, “I do it to blow off steam.” According to the affidavit, a dog at home had the same characteristics as the one in the video.

According to the New York Post, Matsoukas has allegedly engaged in lewd acts in the forest since 2014.

According to Saadzoi Law, if Matsoukas is convicted of all of these crimes, he faces up to 5 years in prison and more than $10,000 in fines. According to court records, Matsoukas was arraigned on Tuesday. On July 19th, a preliminary hearing is scheduled.

Matsoukas has reportedly been relieved of his duties at Penn State and is currently on leave in accordance with university policy.

Themis Matsoukas has been a chemical engineering professor since 1991. He reportedly has written several books, published dozens of journal articles, and received at least three teaching awards, including the Premier Teaching Award from the Penn State Engineering Alumni Society in 2017.