Embry Riddle professor jailed on child sex charges

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A civil engineering professor at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach is accused of sexually molesting a child.

Mark Fugler is in the Volusia County Jail on a $500,000 bond, and was placed on administrative leave from the school.

He’s facing 10 charges, including lewd and lascivious behavior.

The victim’s mother reached out to the Department of Children and Families months ago after reading about the alleged incident in her child’s diary.

Fugler was also charged with child abuse and showing obscene material to a minor.

According to an incident report from the Ormond Beach Police Department, the child reports Fugler, “showed his penis a couple times,” and made the child, “watch pornography films with him.”

The girl denies Fugler touched her, but Mark Jones with Community Partnership for Children said the abuse allegations are significant.

“Emotional abuse can be just as traumatic as the actual physical touching incident itself, and sometimes, the emotional scars can last for years,” Jones said.

The police report said the girl’s mother realized something was wrong after looking through her child’s diary.

The mother saw pictures and statements that prompted her to call police.

She first notified the Department of Children and Families of her suspicions in September, which resulted in a police investigation.

Police arrested Fugler at his home on Friday.

Cox Media Group