Penn State Professor Had Sex With Dog At State Park: Officials

STATE COLLEGE, PA — A longtime Penn State professor is accused of having sexual intercourse with his dog after a camera at Rothrock State Forest captured him performing lewd acts with the animal, according to court documents.

Themis Matsoukas, 64, a professor of chemical engineering at PSU, was charged Monday with numerous crimes related to the incidents, including sexual intercourse with an animal, open lewdness, indecent exposure, cruelty to animals, and disorderly conduct.

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources began its investigation into Matsoukas after a video from outside a public restroom at the park depicted a man involved in lewd acts with his dog on April 13, according to court records. The man was naked from the waist down, except for socks and shoes, the Centre Daily Times reported.

The rangers reached out to campsite owners in the area to see if they had any footage of the person depicted in the videos, and discovered a photo of the man (later identified as Matsoukas) from 2014 as well as several from 2023, according to a report from ABC27.

Cameras from the Alan Seeger Parking Area captured Matsoukas performing similar lewd acts with the collie in May, according to FOX43.

Rangers obtained a search warrant to locate items the man was seen carrying and wearing in the videos. Matsoukas' home was searched on June 9, the Centre Daily Times reported. The publication, citing court documents, reported Matsoukas was “visibly nervous” and told the rangers “I’m done, I’m dead, you don’t understand, I do it to blow off steam.”

A dog at the home had physical characteristics that matched those of the dog seen in the videos, FOX43 reported, citing police documents.

Matsoukas' hearing is set for July 19, court records show.

The university, in a statement released to the Centre Daily Times, said Matsoukas "has been relieved of his responsibilities and is on leave."