William Atwell has been charged with sexual battery and abduction by force. Atwell had been an associate professor of American Sign Language at Liberty University but has since been suspended by the school. Atwell’s alleged victim was a Liberty University student.
According to jail records, Atwell was arrested by campus police on November 20 for an incident that occurred on September 15. Atwell was subsequently released on a $3000 bond on November 29.
In a statement to a local NBC affiliate, a Liberty spokesman said, “Liberty University takes nothing more seriously than claims that a faculty member has had inappropriate sexual contact with one of our students, something for which there is zero tolerance. We are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness, care, and concern.”