Ivy League professor in third sex pinch in 11 years
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) -- An Ivy League professor has been arrested for the third time in 11 years on child sex charges, in this case over video that allegedly shows him engaging in sex acts with boys.
Because of the charges, L. Scott Ward, a professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, was being stripped of his teaching assignments, spokeswoman Lori N. Doyle said Tuesday.
"We have made arrangements to ensure that he will not be teaching at the Wharton School or elsewhere at the University this semester and he will not teach at Penn in the future," Doyle said of the retired professor.
Ward, 63, was arrested Sunday after arriving at Washington's Dulles airport on a flight from Brazil, federal authorities said. He drew the attention of federal agents because of his unusual number of trips to Thailand, a destination for people seeking sex with minors, according to an affidavit released Monday.
Agents examined his laptop computer and found a video showing two children who looked to be as young as 8 engaged in sexual activity, authorities alleged in the affidavit. Agents also found video recordings of Ward involved in sex acts with boys who look to be about 14 to 16, the affidavit said.
Ward appeared in federal court Monday in Alexandria, Virginia, and was being held pending charges, Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Dean Boyd said.
Ward's attorney, federal public defender Meghan Skelton, declined to comment Tuesday.
In 1995, a jury acquitted Ward of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and deadlocked on other charges after his lawyer showed a videotape of the main witness appearing to try to extort a bribe from the defendant.
In 1999, Ward was accused of soliciting sex from a 23-year-old undercover state trooper posing as a 15-year-old boy. He entered an Alford plea, which means he pleaded guilty while not admitting he committed the crimes of attempting to promote prostitution and corrupt minors.
He said he was innocent but made the plea to avoid another trial. He was fined $2,500 and given five years of probation.
