A lecturer at the University of Maryland, College Park, has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of indecent exposure after he allegedly exposed himself to a group of youth volleyball campers on campus.
Richard Apter did not enter a plea when he appeared for a bail hearing last week. He was released on $2,500 bond.
The campers who witnessed the incident were between 13 and 17 years old, according to court documents.
University of Maryland Police said the incident happened July 19 around 2:10 p.m. near the chemistry building. Two volleyball camp counselors told officers that as they walked with about 60 campers, a man walking nearby exposed himself.
Lecturer on administrative leave
Richard Apter is a lecturer in the university’s animal and avian sciences department, according to police and The Diamondback campus newspaper.
Apter, who is no longer listed on the faculty page, is on administrative leave and prohibited from accessing campus facilities pending further investigation, a UMD spokesperson told WJZ Monday.
He has been at the university for 13 years and was set to teach courses including animal management and animal behavior, according to the campus newspaper.
Alleged indecent exposure
On July 20, police said they spotted Apter in front of the campus police station. According to charging documents, Apter told police that “he didn’t know” about the situation but said any exposure would have been accidental.
University police stated that the following day, a detective began reviewing Apter’s social media activity.
Investigators found two public accounts, one of which included a photo posted July 19 showing Apter in the same outfit he wore on the day of the incident, according to charging documents.
Police said the account also displayed at least five photos of Apter posing while exposing himself. Surveillance video of the July 19 incident appeared to show that he knew he was exposed in front of the campers, according to police.
One of three parents who reported the alleged incident to the volleyball camp’s director said Apter appeared to be “flaunting,” according to charging documents.
Apter’s trial is set for Dec. 2 in Prince George’s County District Court in Hyattsville.
WJZ is a media partner of The Baltimore Banner.
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