Dharun Ravi, Ex-Student Convicted In Rutgers Spycam Case, Released From Jail
NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The former Rutgers University student convicted of spying on his roommate having an intimate encounter with another man walked out of jail Tuesday morning.
Dharun Ravi was released from the Middlesex County Jail after serving 20 days of his 30-day jail sentence.
1010 WINS' Steve Sandberg reports
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He was convicted in March on 15 criminal counts, including invasion of privacy and bias intimidation, for using a webcam to watch his roommate, 18-year-old Tyler Clementi, have an intimate encounter with another man in September 2010.
Ravi faced possible deportation back to India where he was born and is still a citizen.
Foreign citizens who are convicted of crimes can be sent home, typically after completing a jail term. But a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs said Monday that Ravi will not be deported because the case is his first brush with the law.
Ravi also escaped the maximum punishment of 10 years in prison. The drastically shorter 30-day sentence drew widespread criticism from the gay community and from the Clementi family.
"It missed a valuable opportunity to enforce the message that our society takes these types of crimes seriously," the Clementi family said in a statement.
Ravi must still serve three years probation, perform 300 hours of community service and pay an $11,000 fine.
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