In a turn that would be right at home on the crime drama series Breaking Bad, a college professor has been arrested on charges of distributing methamphetamines. Sergey Macheret, 65, was arrested last week after police responded to several women issuing criminal complaints against a “suspicious” man approaching them.
The authorities in Indiana responded to the complaints by investigating the “suspicious” man that the women identified as a professor at Purdue University. The police conducted a traffic stop after a plainclothes officer acquired information from Macheret that gave police probable cause to search his vehicle.
Police Investigation
The Lafayette County police department investigated the issue and determined that Purdue aeronautics professor Sergey Macheret was the subject of the complaints. After the traffic stop, police arrested Macheret and charged him with making an unlawful proposition, dealing methamphetamine, and possession of methamphetamine. Macheret has since been released after posting bond.
It is unclear if Macheret has retained legal counsel at this time. He has yet to make a formal plea of innocence or guilt as of the time of this writing. Macheret has worked at Purdue since 2014 and is a professor of aeronautical and astronautical engineering.
Purdue Responds to Arrest
The university swiftly responded to Macheret’s arrest, noting that he has been placed on administrative leave. “Purdue is aware of the arrest and charges. The university will cooperate fully with the investigation. The employee has been placed on leave pending further updates and legal proceedings and is barred from campus,” the university said in an official statement to reporters.
“The School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is working to ensure that undergraduate and graduate student needs are met regarding lectures and labs. Purdue police will assist the Lafayette Police Department with the investigation as needed and cannot offer comment.”
Similarities to Popular Culture
Many commenters online pointed out that this scenario bears an unusual resemblance to the premise of the crime series Breaking Bad. In that show, the protagonist Walter White is a high school chemistry teacher who begins cooking meth and selling it to fund his cancer treatments. White is initially depicted in a somewhat sympathetic light but becomes a loathsome villain as the series progresses.
It is unclear whether Macheret has been accused of manufacturing the methamphetamine he’s been charged with selling. Still, the combination of his occupation and the charges against him were enough to catch the attention of fans of the critically acclaimed series, given how unusually similar the scenarios are.
