A university academic of Bangladeshi origin has been arrested in Florida, United States, on multiple felony charges relating to the recording, distribution, and possession of images and video depicting sexual acts with animals. The suspect, identified as Raiyan Abdul Baten, serves as an assistant professor at the University of South Florida (USF).
Official booking records from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Florida indicate that Baten was taken into custody on 28 October. Law enforcement officials have formally filed 13 separate criminal charges against him, each classified under state law as a third-degree felony.
Following his arrest, Baten was remanded to the Falkenburg Road Jail facility in Hillsborough County. Booking documentation sets bail at $2,500 for each individual charge, amounting to a total bond of $32,500. Authorities emphasised that the allegations listed in the booking log represent formal charges and remain subject to trial, as none of the offences have yet been proven in a court of law.
Baten possesses an extensive academic profile rooted in prestigious institutions. According to curriculum vitae published on academic portals, he completed his undergraduate studies at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in 2016. He subsequently moved to the United States for higher education, obtaining his master’s degree in 2018 and completing his doctorate (PhD) in 2022 at the University of Rochester.
At the time of his arrest, Baten held a faculty position as an assistant professor within the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing at USF. He also served as the director of the university’s Computational Social Science and AI (CSSAI) Laboratory.
Beyond his academic career, Baten maintained an active presence on digital platforms during the July 2024 anti-discrimination student movement in Bangladesh. His vocal commentary and online advocacy in support of the uprising earned him widespread recognition amongst netizens, with many referring to him as an expatriate freedom activist. The news of his arrest in the United States has generated considerable discussion across academic circles and social media communities in Bangladesh.
