Brown assistant professor facing sexual assault charge after alleged groping incident in lab

A Brown University assistant professor has been charged with second-degree sexual assault for allegedly groping a student, court records show.

Mohammad Ibrahim, 34, pleaded not guilty to the felony charge in a Providence, Rhode Island, district court Friday, according to a case summary.

A graduate student who worked under Ibrahim in a campus lab cited at least three instances of sexual assault, according to court records acquired by NBC News. The student told police that in February, Ibrahim snuck up behind her and grabbed her breasts on two separate occasions. On a third occasion, another student saw her recoil.

The student said she hesitated to speak up because Ibrahim had “threatened to get her thrown out of the program if she did not divorce her husband,” NBC News reported. 

Ibrahim’s lawyer, John Grasso, told Boston.com in an email that his client vehemently opposes the accusations against him.

“The only document available at this time is an affidavit that includes some of what the complaining witness allegedly told police,” Grasso wrote. “At no time did the Providence Police ask Mr. Ibrahim for his side of the story.  Needless to say, Mr. Ibrahim denies the allegations.”

Brian Clark, a spokesman for Brown University, confirmed to Boston.com that Ibrahim was placed on administrative leave but declined further comment. 

The student applied for a restraining order against Ibrahim last month, NBC News reported.

According to Ibrahim’s Brown University staff page, he specializes in cancer pathology and is a father of two.

Ibrahim was released on his own recognizance Friday, the case summary shows. He will next appear in court on July 14.

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