TAMPA, Fla. — A University of Tampa professor was arrested last month on campus after child sex exploitation charges were filed in Georgia, an arrest affidavit said.
Ethan Deneault, who is a professor of physics at UT, was arrested on Jan. 12. The university's spring semester began on Jan. 16.
According to the arrest report, Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies were alerted of a fugitive warrant from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations out of Butts County.
According to the affidavit, Georgia authorities obtained a warrant for Deneault for three counts of sexual exploitation of children. The affidavit adds that Deneault "fled" the jurisdiction of Georgia law enforcement.
Details regarding Deneault's charges have not been made available at this time.
According to the University of Tampa's website, Deneault is currently on administrative leave. The university said he is not present on campus and is not teaching this semester.
The university released the following statement to 10 Tampa Bay:
"The University is aware that Ethan Deneault, professor of physics, was taken into custody by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office," the statement said. "Deneault has been placed on administrative leave pending additional information about his arrest. As such he is not teaching for the spring term and is not present on campus."
