Man accused of sexual acts with dog in state park was Penn State professor

A State College man charged with indecent acts involving his dog in a state park was a professor at Penn State University, according to news sources.

Themis Matsoukas, 64, faces charges of open lewdness, indecent exposure, sexual intercourse with an animal and animal cruelty after law enforcement officials said he was seen on video involved in sexual acts involving his dog in Rothrock State Forest in Huntingdon County in April and May 2023.

The Centre Daily Times reported that Matsoukas has been with Penn State since 1991.

Penn State’s website lists Matsoukas as a chemical engineering professor with a diploma in chemical engineering from National Technical University in 1983 and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan in 1989.

In 2017, he received a teaching award from the Penn State Engineering Alumni Society and has authored books and journal articles.

The Centre Daily Times reported that Matsoukas has been relieved of his duties at Penn State and is on leave.

Charges against Matsoukas were filed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

WJAC-TV reported that, according to court documents, Matsoukas was seen on trail cameras walking through the forest wearing only a ski mask, watch, shoes and a backpack.

WTAJ reported that, according to the criminal complaint, state park rangers had seen video from outside one of the park’s bathrooms that prompted them to contact camp owners who had trail cams in the area. Some of the footage, WTAJ reported, was from April of this year.

According to those court documents, WTAJ reported that law enforcement executed a search warrant at Matsoukas’ home when he said, ‘I’m done, I’m dead. You don’t understand, I do it to blow off steam.”