Professor charged with stalking former student

By MIKE SANDULA and RHIANNON ZIELINSKI
Posted: Wednesday, January 26th, 2011 at 4:46 pm | Last Updated: Thursday, January 27th, 2011 at 8:18 am
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An Oakland University professor has been charged with stalking a former OU student.

Srinarayan Sharma, 43, was arraigned and charged with stalking on Jan. 21 after a female graduate reported him to the Oakland University Police Department. Sharma, who’s been at OU since 1996, is an Associate Professor of Management Information Systems in the School of Business Administration.

Chief Assistant Paul Walton of the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office said Sharma was charged with a one-year misdemeanor and faces up to five years probation and $1,000 in fines.

“To elevate it to a felony, we need something we don’t have in this case,” Walton said, such as the violation of a personal protection order.

Walton said Sharma was charged with “repeated unwarranted contact” and that the victim felt terrorized, harassed and offended.

According to police reports, the stalking incidents took place over the course of 16 months.

Sharma, who posted 10 percent of a $10,000 bond, is currently tethered and under house arrest, according to Lt. Mel Gilroy of the OUPD.

Although Sharma is still listed as OU faculty on the university website, his name is not listed on the winter semester schedule of courses. University officials declined to comment on the case.

Sharma’s pretrial hearing is 8:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 31 at 52-3 District Court, 700 Barclay Circle, Rochester in Judge Julie A. Nicholson’s court.

Jerome Sabbota is his court-appointed attorney.

EMU