Purdue University Professor Arrested for Allegedly Dealing Meth and Propositioning Women for Sexual Favors

The Lafayette Police Department began investigating a Purdue University professor in December after receiving several complaints of a "suspicious male approaching women"

Photo: Lafayette Police Department

A professor at Purdue University was taken into custody in connection with drug-related accusations and allegedly propositioning women.

Sergey Macheret, 65, was arrested Wednesday after the Lafayette Police Department's weeks-long investigation into several complaints of a "suspicious male approaching women," according to Indianapolis news station Fox 59.

The department's investigation, which began in December, led them to Macheret, per the outlet. A plainclothes officer reportedly managed to get information that caused police to conduct a traffic stop, leading to his arrest. Details of the information police had were not shared.

Macheret will be charged with making an unlawful proposition, dealing methamphetamine, and possession of methamphetamine, per Fox 59. It's not clear if he has retained a lawyer who can comment on his behalf.

The Lafayette Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

The department said, according to WISH-TV in Indianapolis, that Macheret has since been released after making bond.

He was previously booked at the Tippecanoe County Jail, West Lafayette's WLFI-TV reported.

PEOPLE reached out to Purdue for comment but did not immediately hear back.

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Purdue said in a statement to WLFI-TV that Macheret — who has been a professor of aeronautical and astronautical engineering at the university since 2014 — has been "placed on leave."

"Purdue is aware of the arrest and charges. The university will cooperate fully with the investigation. The employee has been placed on leave pending further updates and legal proceedings and is barred from campus," said Purdue in a statement, according to WLFI. "The School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is working to ensure that undergraduate and graduate student needs are met regarding lectures and labs. Purdue police will assist the Lafayette Police Department with the investigation as needed and cannot offer comment."

The head of the Purdue School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Bill Crossley, also sent an email to faculty and students, the outlet reported.

"Purdue University, and the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, is aware of the arrest of Sergey Macheret. Purdue and AAE will cooperate fully with the investigation," it began.

"Prof. Macheret has been placed on leave effective immediately, and the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is working to ensure that undergraduate and graduate student needs are met regarding lectures and labs. We will be following up with the students in AAE 334 and with Prof. Macheret's graduate students and postdocs shortly."

Crossley ended by sharing counseling resources available to students and staff.