A Washington State University Professor has been accused of repeatedly raping a 16-year old girl who also happens to be a relative for a period of 18 months.

Andrew Appleton, a 51-year old Political Science Professor at the university was arrested Tuesday at his Moscow residence in Idaho after the alleged victim, who is now 18, came forward.

The victim arranged to meet Appleton in police-tapped phone call, following which he was arrested, reports Daily Mail.

She reportedly told the police that 'he intimidated and coerced her into a sexual relationship', starting when she was 16 years old, reports KXLY.com. According to court documents the alleged abuse took place in several locations including Moscow and Sandpoint, Idaho, California and Texas from February 2010 through September 2011.

He is charged with felony rape and his bail is set at $100,000 in Latah County 2nd District Court Wednesday. Daily Mail reports that he may also face additional child pornography charges for allegedly taking nude pictures and videos of the victim. The police have reportedly seized his computer.

The university where he was employed since 1993 has removed him from his position in the wake of the charge.

"First and foremost, WSU takes these cases very seriously," said WSU spokesman Darin Watkins to Huffington Post. "As a result, Andrew Appleton has been removed from duties at WSU, and he is no longer on the WSU campus."

The victim who was a relative of the accused moved in with him and his wife after leaving her home in England to escape an abusive relative. Appleton's wife moved to California with the alleged victim in 2009 for a job and Appleton would visit them often until they moved back to Moscow in 2010, reports KXLY.com.

During their stay in California, girl says, that Appleton started touching her inappropriately which culminated in sexual relationship in February 2010.

It went on for so long, that the girl claims it had become 'a way of life.' She alleges that Appleton threatened her that she would be put into the foster care system if she were taken from his home.

Eventually the girl told an aunt about the abuse and she in turn reported it to the police. He was divorced by his wife earlier this year when she found out about the relationship.

In the recorded conversation between the victim and Appleton, which was being heard by the investigators, he admitted to the sexual relationship but claimed he had fell in love with her, saying his wife hadn't been there for him but she had.

His next hearing is set for Oct.3.