Former Michigan State professor Robert Pittman pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree on March 4, according to Ingham County Court records. Pittman's charges stem from incidents in the 1990s which were reported by Vance Kincaid, a medical education program coordinator at MSU.
The events related to these charges occurred during the time that Kincaid and Pittman were both employed at the university.
Kincaid testified he was working alone in an office when Pittman grabbed the back of his head, kissed him, unzipped his pants and touched his genitals despite attempts to push Pittman away, according to The Associated Press. During the plea hearing Pittman said he realized that his actions were not consensual and he did not ask for consent.
When his case was bound over to circuit court in November 2019, Pittman faced up to 15 years in prison. By pleading guilty to criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree, he now faces up to two years in prison.
Pittman is scheduled for sentencing April 8 in Veterans Memorial Courthouse.
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