Florida: A 32-year-old Bangladeshi national, identified as Raiyan Abdul Baten, has been arrested by local police in Florida, USA, on serious charges including the filming, distribution, and possession of images and videos depicting sexual activity with an animal. Baten serves as an assistant professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of South Florida’s (USF) Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing.
According to public booking records from Hillsborough County, Florida, the Tampa Police Department (TPD) took Baten into custody on October 28, 2026. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has listed a total of 13 specific counts against him under the title: “Film, Distribute, Or Possess Image Or Video Of Sexual Activity With An Animal”.
Following his arrest, Baten was booked into the local Falkenberg Road Jail in Florida. Initial court records indicate his bail status as “No Bond”. This status ensures that he will remain in custody pending further legal proceedings or an official arraignment hearing.
The news of his arrest has reverberated through academic circles. Baten completed his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in 2016. He then moved to the United States for higher education, earning a Master of Science (MS) in 2018 and a Ph.D. in 2022 in Human-Computer Interaction from the University of Rochester. In 2023, he received the prestigious AAAC Oi Trust Award for his outstanding doctoral dissertation and was recently serving as a lab director at USF.
Due to the recent nature of the arrest, the Tampa Police Department and the local court have not yet disclosed details regarding the progress of the investigation or any seized digital evidence. Cases involving digital forensics typically require extensive investigative procedures.
Under the United States criminal justice system, an arrest or the filing of charges does not constitute definitive proof of guilt. Raiyan Abdul Baten is legally presumed innocent unless proven guilty through a formal court trial.
