By Patti Weaver
STILLWATER — A 32-year-old Stillwater man, who is listed as an assistant professor in the computer science department on the Oklahoma State University online directory, has been accused of possessing and distributing child pornography through his Kik social media application in 2024.
Arunkumar Bagavathi, who was arrested at his residence at 7:37 am on March 13 following an investigation by Stillwater Police Detective Mary Kellison, was subsequently released from the Payne County Jail on $50,000 bond, court records show.
Bagavathi was arraigned on March 18 before Special District Judge Susan Worthington, who ordered him to have no contact with anyone under the age of 18, court records show.
Bagavathi has been scheduled to appear in court with an attorney on April 15 on a two-count charge punishable by up to 40 years in prison on conviction, court records show.
An investigation began after the Stillwater police detective received a Cyber Tip from the National Center for Exploited and Missing Children on Jan. 17 regarding child sexual abuse material on Aug. 31, 2024, through Kik Messenger, according to her affidavit.
After obtaining multiple search warrants including one to OSU IT, a device with a MAC address “was associated with the user Arun Bagavathi,” at OSU, the affidavit alleged.
“On Jan. 17, 2025, I received another Cyber Tipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,” the detective wrote in her affidavit.
Child sexual abuse material had been found on Sept. 17, 2024, through Kik Messenger, the affidavit alleged.
“On Jan. 23, 2025, at approximately 3:46 pm, I served Google, LLC with a search warrant,” with the result that Google Play Billing Information had Arunkumar Bagavathi as the account holder, the affidavit alleged.
