The Lafayette Police Department began receiving information in December 2022 regarding a "suspicious male approaching women." There have been multiple reported incidents since then, police said. 

The department’s Special Victim Unit began investigating these complaints, which led to identifying a suspect who became a focal point for investigators. 

On Wednesday, just before 12:30 p.m., police pulled over the suspect in traffic near the intersection of N. 18th Street and Union Street. The suspect – identified as Macheret – was arrested. 

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Purdue University lists Macheret as a professor of aeronautical and astronautical engineering who has been with the school for nearly a decade. 

The university told Indiana’s FOX 59 that Macheret has been placed on leave and is barred from campus. The university also said it is fully cooperating with the investigation. 

"The School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is working to ensure that undergraduate and graduate student needs are met regarding lectures and labs," the school said in a statement. "Purdue police will assist the Lafayette Police Department with the investigation as needed and cannot offer comment." 

It was not immediately clear if Macheret had retained an attorney who could speak on his behalf.