Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office

                                 25 Kirkpatrick Street, 3rd Floor, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901 (732) 745-3300

 

                              *News Release*                 Date: May 6, 2011
 
 

       

 

 

 

 

 

Ex-Rutgers student admitted to pretrial program

 

 

          Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan announced that Molly W. Wei, (DOB 2/1/92) of West Windsor Township, a former Rutgers University student, was admitted today to the Pretrial Intervention (PTI) program.

 

          Wei and Dharun Ravi, (DOB 2/28/92) of Plainsboro, were both originally charged with two counts of invasion of privacy occurring on September 19, 2010, for observing and disclosing computer images of Ravi’s roommate, T.C., and another individual, later identified as M.B.  The investigation determined that on September 19, 2010, Ravi first positioned and then remotely accessed the webcam on his computer in the room he shared with T.C., allowing him and Wei to observe and disclose the computer images via her computer. 

 

          Ravi was additionally charged with two more counts of invasion of privacy for attempting through his webcam to observe and disclose a second encounter between the two men on September 21, 2010.  That attempt was unsuccessful.

 

          Following an extensive seven-month investigation by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Rutgers University Police Department, Ravi was indicted on April 20, 2011, by a grand jury in Middlesex County and was charged in a 15-count indictment of initiating a plan to deliberately and repeatedly invade the privacy of T.C. and M.B. on two separate occasions.

 

          In addition to the counts of invasion of privacy, Ravi was indicted on charges of bias intimidation, for intending to intimidate T.C. and M.B. by the invasion because of their sexual orientation, and also tampering with evidence, witness tampering and hindering his own apprehension on various dates after the second attempted invasion of privacy.

 

          The investigation did not result in additional charges against Wei.  Based upon Wei’s role on September 19, 2010, as charged in the original complaints, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office agreed with the Program recommendation that found Wei to be a suitable candidate for PTI.  This decision was made following consultation with T.C.’s family and with M.B.

 

          Wei appeared today before Superior Court Judge Glenn Berman, the presiding criminal court judge, at the Middlesex County Courthouse in New Brunswick, where she waived her right to a presentation of the charges against her to a grand jury in Middlesex County.

 

          Wei also agreed to enroll in the PTI program under certain conditions set by Middlesex County First Assistant Prosecutor Julia L. McClure.

 

          Under the agreement, Wei was admitted to the program for three years, during which time she must continue to cooperate with law enforcement authorities and must provide truthful testimony during any future court proceedings involving Ravi.

 

          In addition, Wei will be expected to complete 300 hours of community service and must participate in counseling associated with cyber-bullying and alternate and cultural lifestyles.

 

          If Wei successfully completes the program, the two privacy invasion counts filed against her will be dismissed.  If she fails to complete the conditions of PTI, the charges will not be dismissed and she will be subject to further court action.

 

          Wei has remained free on her own recognizance after surrendering to the Rutgers University Police Department in New Brunswick on September 27, 2010.  Ravi surrendered to Rutgers Police on September 28, 2010, and was released on $25,000 bail.

 

As is the case with all criminal defendants, Ravi is presumed innocent until proven guilty.