A college professor in Kemah, Texas, has been arrested after he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman that he met on the Tinder dating app.
Charles Rodney Finnell, Jr., 56, turned himself in to the Kemah Police Department on Wednesday and was charged with aggravated sexual assault over the alleged incident on February 1, 2024, according to ABC13.
Police said Finnell, who teaches accounting at Lee College, connected with the 26-year-old victim on Tinder, and the pair first met up at Friendswood Park before they returned to his home near the Galveston Bay shore in Kemah for dinner.
The woman reportedly tried to leave Finnell’s home when he “began making unwanted sexual advances,” according to police. Finnell then allegedly attacked and overpowered her.
“The victim attempted to leave the residence, at which time the suspect attacked and overpowered the victim and began to strangle her,” police said. “The suspect sexually assaulted the victim.”
Police said the woman needed medical attention for injuries she sustained during the alleged attack.
Investigators looking into Finnell then discovered that other women had complained on social media about his “aggressive behavior” on Tinder dates, police said. Authorities are working to determine if there are any other possible victims or violent incidents related to Finnell.
The professor’s attorney said his client is innocent and claimed he has text messages to prove it.
“Mr. Finnell adamantly asserts his innocence. The facts will reveal that he did not commit this offense. These allegations are abjectly false. Text messages exist that shed light onto the falseness of this allegation. It is concerning that a controversial assertion is sufficient for law enforcement in this county to pursue such serious criminal charges against someone. We merely ask the public not to jump to conclusions from incomplete and inaccurate information being presented,” Ryan Fremuth, Finnell’s attorney, told ABC13.
Finnell is currently on leave from his job at Lee College in Baytown, Texas. The school sent ABC13 a statement regarding Finnell and the ongoing investigation.
“Lee College learned [on Wednesday] that the Kemah Police Department arrested Charles Finnell, an employee of the college, who has been on administrative leave since October 2024 in accordance with our internal policies. The College takes allegations of violence seriously and is committed to maintaining a safe learning and work environment for our students and employees,” the statement said. “We will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action as necessary. As this is an ongoing personnel and legal issue, we cannot comment further at this time.”
Finnell has been booked into the Galveston County Jail on an $80,000 bond. Kemah police have asked anyone with information related to the case to contact them.
