NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — The Rutgers dean who is criminally charged with taking "up skirt" videos of women with his cell phone has been put on a paid leave by Rutgers University.
Joshua Kohut, 51, makes an annual salary of $203,412 at Rutgers. He will collect that while he is on leave.
Kohut was the dean of research at Rutgers' School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, and he leads research projects at Rutgers. He's held many roles at his 29 years at the school, including working as a research director at the New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station and is also currently a professor in Rutgers' marine and coastal sciences department.
He will not be allowed to set foot on campus until the criminal charges are resolved, said a university spokeswoman, calling the charges "extremely disturbing." Rutgers has also launched its own internal investigation into the allegations.
Kohut is charged with fourth-degree invasion of privacy. New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport accused him of using his personal cell phone to record "upskirt videos." This happened on the Rutgers campus in New Brunswick, she said.
The state has never said who his alleged victims were, or if they were Rutgers students or staff.
Kohut had his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon in Middlesex County Superior Court, and was released on pretrial monitoring.
He was represented by Vernon Estreicher Esq., with the public defender's office.
He is next due back in court at 9 a.m. October 8 before Judge Flynn, for a pre-indictment conference.
Electronic devices was found to contain 'upskirt' videos of a woman's undergarment-clad intimate parts, said the state Attorney General.
Kohut lives in Cranbury.
First report: Rutgers Dean Accused Of Taking Upskirt Videos On His Phone
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