A Penn State chemical engineering professor is accused of performing lewd acts with his dog in a state forest

An award-winning professor at Pennsylvania State University faces charges for allegedly engaging in sexual acts with his dog in a state forest.

Themis Matsoukas, 64, was caught on Pennsylvania Rothrock State Forest security camera footage naked — save for a ski mask, a backpack, his socks, and hiking boots — investigators say. The state forest trail camera was set up in an attempt to catch suspected thefts from the bathroom. Instead of catching people stealing bags of hand sanitizer, it instead caught a man recording himself performing lewd acts with a dog.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources charged Matsoukas on Monday with open lewdness, indecent exposure, sexual intercourse with an animal, cruelty to animals, and disorderly conduct, court records show. A half dozen photos taken with the trail cameras of people who own private camps near the state forest indicate the professor has been engaging in sexual acts with his collie at the forest since at least 2014, the department’s investigation found. In Pennsylvania, engaging in any form of sexual intercourse with an animal is considered a second-degree misdemeanor.

Authorities said they were able to identify Matsoukas by using trail camera footage, matching a backpack on the footage to one found at his home and license plate photos to his Subaru Outback’s plate number.

While searching Matsoukas’ home, investigators recovered three iPads — including one issued by Penn State. Investigators say Matsoukas used at least one of the iPads to record himself. They also found clothing that matched what was worn in the video footage, and they photographed at his home a collie that looked like the dog seen in surveillance footage. The investigators noted both the dog at Matsoukas’ home and in the video was missing a left eye. According to the criminal charging document, Matsoukas seemed nervous when investigators arrived.

“I’m done, I’m dead,” Matsoukas allegedly said when investigators told him they thought he knew why they were there.

The professor also allegedly told investigators, “You don’t understand. I do it to blow off steam.”

At one point, the report says, Matsoukas asked what he had to do to get the ranger to shoot him.

Matsoukas began teaching at Penn State in 1991, according to his LinkedIn profile. He teaches chemical engineering and at some point ran a research lab at the school.

For years, his Rate My Professor profile was stacked with positive reviews from students who called Matsoukas’ classes tough but fair. In light of news about Matsoukas’ arrest, his profile has since been spammed by online trolls.

He earned his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan, his school bio — which has since been removed — said. He has published books along with dozens of journal articles on topics like bicomponent aggregation and plasma polymers. In 2017, he won Penn State’s Engineering Alumni Society’s Premier Teaching Award.

“Themis Matsoukas has been relieved of his responsibilities and is on leave,” the university said in a statement to the Centre Daily Times.

Matsoukas’ attorney, Matthew Michael McClenahen, declined to comment, saying, “The case is in its beginning phase, so it would be inappropriate for me to make a statement at this time.”

Court records show the professor was arraigned Tuesday and has a hearing set for July 19.

Staff writer Max Marin contributed to this article.