Now-former Husson University instructor accused of possessing child sexual abuse material
A now-former assistant professor at Husson University was arrested Friday and accused of possessing child sexual abuse material, authorities said.
A student at the university in Bangor also accused Jonathan Houck of secretly filming her and other students undressing during a school assignment. University officials say they are “deeply disturbed” by the allegations against Houck and that he was terminated in mid-September.
Houck, 33, of Bangor, was arrested after a tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Bangor police said in a news release. He was taken into custody Friday afternoon, and staff at the Penobscot County Jail confirmed he was being held on $50,000 cash bail.
On Friday morning, Houck did not respond to requests for comment at a phone number and email listed for him. It wasn’t clear whether he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
Houck faces six counts of Class C possession of child sexual abuse material and four counts of violation of privacy, a Class D crime, police say.
Penobscot County Deputy District Attorney Chelsea Lynds said in a phone call that the six felony-level charges are related to material depicting children under 12, while the allegations of privacy violations stem from “different conduct.”
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The file hosting service Dropbox alerted the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children on June 29 that a user named Jonathan Houck had uploaded files depicting a child being sexually assaulted, according to a search warrant affidavit by the Bangor Police Department.
Detectives found that, between 2020 and 2026, Houck uploaded at least two video files of sexually explicit material involving “a prepubescent minor,” according to the affidavit. During execution of the warrant at Houck’s Pearl Street home last month, Bangor police seized numerous electronic devices, including six cellphones, eight computers and four storage drives.
ALLEGED UNIVERSITY MISCONDUCT
The university learned about the investigation on Sept. 21, and within an hour, Houck was “escorted from the campus and relieved of his duties,” Sarah Walker Caron, the university’s director of communication, said in a written statement Friday.
“Husson cannot comment on personnel matters or ongoing legal matters, but the university has and will continue to comply with all law enforcement requests in a prompt manner,” the statement read. “As always, our primary concern is that the needs of our students are met and that the continuity of the education is maintained.”
Houck was listed on the university’s website as an assistant professor in the College of Science and Humanities. Several documents online, including from Husson University ceremony programs and the Maine Science Festival, indicate that he was part of the exercise science program.
He also participated in research on body composition at the university that was published in April 2025, according to a page on the Husson University Repository that has since been removed.
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On Thursday, a student at the university in Bangor posted a video to social media alleging that Houck filmed her and other students undressing without their knowledge.
The student, Abigail Dudley, said she recently met with Bangor detectives who showed her images taken during an exercise science class in the fall of 2025.
She said the students were told to record their body weight during class. Houck instructed the students to step between a set of dividers, take off their clothes and step on the scale, she said. Somewhere near the scale was a hidden camera, Dudley said, and that footage was allegedly found on Houck’s electronic devices.
“I feel disgusted every time I wake up in the morning,” Dudley said in the video. “I’m terrified to walk into school. I look everywhere for cameras. I can’t even use the bathroom here.”
Dudley is now working with attorneys, who said in a written statement Friday that she is “horrified to learn about the shocking conduct” of her former instructor.
“Husson caused an unfathomable breach of trust against Abigail Dudley, other Husson students, and the broader community,” attorney Star Wagner said. “Students place their trust in educational institutions to provide a safe learning environment, and that trust was violated here.
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“Serious questions must be answered regarding Husson’s role in allowing this abuse to occur.”
Staff Writer Drew Johnson contributed to this report.
HOW TO GET HELP
IF YOU or someone you know has experienced sexual harassment or assault, you can call the statewide Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Line at 800-871-7741 for free and confidential help 24 hours a day.
TO LEARN more about prevention and response in Maine, visit the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault website at mecasa.org.
FOR OTHER support or referrals, call the NAMI Maine Help Line at 800-464-5767 or email [email protected].
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Tagged: education, Husson University, maine crime
Morgan covers breaking news and public safety for the Portland Press Herald. Before moving to Maine in 2024, she reported for Michigan State University's student-run publication, as well as the Indianapolis. More by Morgan Womack
