Former Bridgewater State University Professor Accused Of Sexual Assault

BRIDGEWATER (CBS) -- A former Bridgewater State University public relations professor is facing rape charges after multiple female students said they had been sexually assaulted.

According to police, a female student reported that in 2019, she created an account on the dating website seeking.com. She alleges that Nicholas Pirelli, 37, of Plymouth, who was a temporary faculty member at Bridgewater State University at the time, texted back and forth multiple times before Pirelli sent "inappropriate" pictures in October of that year.

Four additional female BSU students then came forward and said Pirelli had contacted them through social media, as well, attempting to engage them in sexual activity. Several of the students said they rejected his advances after learning he was a professor, but that he continued to contact them and attempted to engage in sexual activity with them. The women alleged that Pirelli sent money to them through Venmo and offered help with on-campus employment and academic assignments.

On Monday, Pirelli was indicted on several charges, including one count of rape, one count of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, one count of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, engaging in sexual conduct for a fee and three counts of dissemination of obscene matter. Pirelli was originally placed on leave and has since been fired by the university.

Pirelli is scheduled to be arraigned on February 25 in Brockton Superior Court.

Bridgewater State University had no comment on the charges.