Tyler Silvy / Managing Editor 17 April 2011
Felony charges have been filed against a former Oklahoma State University student and employee based on complaints that he threatened harm to President Burns Hargis and Lee Bird, vice president of student affairs.
Ian Mathew Marouk, 25, was a teaching assistant and masters student in statistics this semester until he was released from the program following what statistics staffer Renee Flasch described as erratic, irate behavior and poor grades.
Flasch, a senior administrative support assistant in the statistics department, said the statistics department was locked down for one day after Marouk contacted the department head, Ibrahim Ahmad, Lee Bird and his former students via email with threatening messages.
That same day, Lee Bird sent a letter to Marouk officially banning him from campus, according to court records.
Flasch said Marouk had never threatened violence, he was just irate because he felt he had “been wronged.”
Although he hadn’t indicated violence before, Marouk is now charged with “use of a computer to put another person in fear of physical harm,” according to court records. The charge stems from information posted on Marouk’s Facebook page indicating that “Burns Hargis and Lee Bird would surely parish unless he was reinstated to his position at OSU.”
The charge is a felony and is punishable by 10 years in prison, a $5,000 to $100,000 fine or both. Judge Phillip Corley is assigned to the case, but a court date has not been set at this time.
Bird said she could not comment on the felony filing.
OSU police indicate they have had numerous dealings with Marouk since he was banned from campus. On April 9, officers arrested Marouk on complaint of failing to leave university grounds and obstructing an officer. Judge Michael Stano is assigned to that case, and Marouk was able to post the $250 bond.
In response to the arrest, Marouk wrote a letter to the judge.
In the letter, Marouk brings a “list of grievances,” including being given tickets with no court date, having his car towed and being arrested for trying to take his GRE exam on OSU property. Marouk also said in the letter he was suspended for harassing emails, but gives the following explanation:
“I proved that my accounts were tampered with, and they had received my emails through a forensic investigation,” Marouk said in the letter.
He goes on to say that OSU should be investigated.
“I ask that my car be returned to me and an investigation be opened against OSU for the mistreatment of natives,” Marouk said in the letter.
At the time this story was written, no evidence could be found of the Facebook post in question which mentions Hargis and Bird. Marouk has made numerous posts about Christianity; posts which he sections off into parts of an overall “Book of Ian.”
Apart from the longer books Marouk posts, he also has posted numerous short messages, including this one from Wednesday, the day he was charged with the felony:
“I warn you all, if I die, the harvest is over. Good luck, taking care of yourselves in Hell, for the police seek to come to my door, and cannot, for God gives them no Wisdom to understand my address.”
Curious? Tenacious? Have the Balls?