Glen‑Peter Ahlers, a law professor and Interim Associate Dean for Information Services at Barry University School of Law, was arrested on 50 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting the sexual performance of a child, according to prosecutors in Orange County, Florida.
Barry University moved quickly to distance itself from the allegations. In a statement, a university spokesperson said, “Barry University is aware of the arrest of a member of our law faculty. The faculty member has been placed on immediate administrative leave pending further review. The University is cooperating fully with law enforcement authorities.”
At Ahlers’s first court appearance, prosecutors offered details that only made the allegations more disturbing. While the charging document lists 50 counts, prosecutors indicated that the scope of the material allegedly found was far larger.
“I believe it’s only 50 counts,” the prosecutor said in court. “However, it’s alleged there were hundreds of thousands of images that were found on his devices.”
Adding to the gravity of the allegations, an attorney involved in the proceedings stated that “on one of his devices, there were photos of female students from certain angles.” According to reports, Orange County deputies searched Ahlers’s office prior to his arrest, a detail that will undoubtedly raise serious concerns within the law school community, particularly among students who trusted the institution and its leadership.
Ahlers’s defense counsel emphasized mitigating factors in arguing bond, noting his age and background. “My client is 70 years old. He has no prior record of any kind. He’s married, he’s a citizen, a professional, affidavit says cooperative with law enforcement, so we’d ask the state to take those into consideration,” his attorney told the court.
Ahlers was ordered held on $100,000 bond, set at $2,000 per count.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @Kathryn1@mastodon.social.
The post Law Professor Arrested On 50 Counts In Child Sexual Abuse Materials Case appeared first on Above the Law.