Update by: Laura Nalin

A ruling was issued at 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 23 regarding Columbia science professor Kevin Fuller, who was released on a $100,000 bond. Fuller faces federal charges of transporting child pornography.

Fuller’s father, Kenneth, told U. S. Magistrate Judge Susan Cox on Nov. 23 that he is willing to be his son’s third party custodian, which would make him responsible if Fuller failed to return for future court proceedings, Judge Cox asked for a background check on Kenneth Fuller before issuing her ruling.

Fuller was arrested on Nov. 19 after federal agents obtained a warrant to search  his Oak Park home. According to the criminal complaint, filed by Michael Bruns, customs officer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a number of images of child pornography were stored on Fuller’s home computer.

According to the criminal complaint, Fuller reportedly waived his right to remain silent and agreed to be interviewed by law enforcement authorities following the arrest. He allegedly admitted using an e-mail site registered to him “to receive and distribute images of children engaged in sexually explicit activities.

The investigation was prompted by alleged e-mail communications between Fuller and other parties regarding child molestation and related situations dating back to February 2008. Records show that Fuller had checked his e-mail 65 times from his office at Columbia and 144 times from his home between June 29 and July 27.

Columbia officials said that they will have a substitute take over Fuller’s classes immediately, but have not issued any further comment.

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Columbia faculty member arrested on child pornography charges

Science professor charged with criminal counts, held without bond

(Article published on Friday, November 20, by Bethany Reinhart)

A detention hearing is scheduled today in U.S. District Court for Kevin Fuller, chair of the Columbia College Council and an associate professor of biology in Columbia’s Science and Math Department, who was arrested at his home last Thursday on federal charges of transporting child pornography after federal agents searched his Oak Park residence.

Fuller has been in the Metropolitan Correctional Center since his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on Thursday in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Cox, who ordered him to be held without bond.

Fuller’s arrest and subsequent charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald and Gary J. Hartwig, special agent-in-charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Investigation in Chicago.

Fuller, 41, is set to appear in front of Judge Cox at 11:30 a.m. today.  The detention hearing will determine whether Fuller will continue to be held without bond. A date has not yet been set for a formal arraignment, where Fuller will be allowed to enter a plea. Fuller is being represented by MiAngel Cody of the Federal Defender Program.

Repeated calls to Cody for comment have not been returned.

According to Randall Samborn, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago, Fuller was charged specifically with sending child pornography over the Internet via a Google e-mail address registered to him.

A preliminary review of the computer found in Fuller’s residence during the execution of a search warrant allegedly showed images of infants and prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit activity, according to the criminal complaint.  The charges state that between June 29 and July 27, Fuller accessed the particular Google account 144 times from his Oak Park residence and 65 times through an IP address associated with Columbia.

Columbia’s Provost and Senior Vice President Steve Kapelke said in a statement, “Columbia College Chicago is aware of media reports that faculty member Kevin Fuller has been arrested by federal authorities, though college officials have not been contacted by the authorities.  Effective today, the school has arranged for Dr. Fuller’s classes to be covered by another professor. We are closely monitoring the situation and will take appropriate actions as needed.”

Elizabeth Burke-Dain, media relations associate at Columbia, said she was unable to comment on the allegations that Fuller accessed the particular Google account through an IP address associated with Columbia.

According to the criminal complaint, Fuller allegedly exchanged more than 40 e-mails with another individual between Sept. 26 and Sept. 29 in which the two discussed molesting an infant.

Additional correspondence, including more than 10 e-mails exchanged with another individual on Oct. 17, included discussion of molesting a young boy.  The criminal complaint states that on Oct. 20, Fuller exchanged more than 25 e-mails with another individual in which they discussed engaging in sexual activities with a mother and her young child.

According to the criminal complaint, Fuller was read his Miranda rights, but waived his right to remain silent and agreed to be interviewed. During the interview, Fuller allegedly stated that he has used the e-mail address for approximately the past two years, “including to receive and distribute images of children engaged in sexually explicit activity.”

Fuller has been employed at Columbia since 2003. He is a 1986 graduate of Rockmart High School in Rockmart, Ga. He received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Duke University, a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and cell biology from the University of Chicago and held a post-doctoral fellowship at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where he researched multiple sclerosis.

Fuller was a Columbia Critical Encounters Fellow during the 2008 – 2009 academic year. His online profile states that his professional interests include gene regulation of immune system networks and integration of immunology and biotechnology in teaching, among other things. Fuller listed gardening, hiking and cooking as several of his personal interests.