Dharun Ravi guilty verdict should not be used to promote a gay agenda, Tony Perkins, president of the Christian conservative group Family Research Council (FRC), has said.

The 20-year-old Ravi on Friday was found guilty on 15 counts of bias intimidation, invasion of privacy and tampering with evidence by a New Jersey jury.

The charges stem from Ravi's involvement in the death of 18-year-old Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi, who jumped off the George Washington Bridge to his death in the fall of 2010 after learning that Ravi, his roommate, had secretly streamed live video of him having sex with another man onto the Internet. Ravi was not charged with Clementi's death.

He faces up to 10 years in prison, because the charges are being identified as a hate crime, and the possibility of deportation to his native India.

Legal scholars think the verdict could send a powerful message about bullying.

“It's a cautionary tale,” Jenny Carroll, professor of criminal law at Seton hall Law School told the Star-Ledger. “Behavior that used to be considered the norm, or acceptable, has become criminal. This will be end of the 'boys will be boys' defense.”

Steven Goldstein, chair and CEO of Garden State Equality, the state's largest gay rights advocate, agreed with the verdict.

“One very important byproduct of this verdict is that will be that parents across New Jersey and and the entire nation will have to speak to their kids who are students in school … and tell them you can't bully another student because if you do you may wind up like Dharun Ravi – convicted, possibly getting jail time,” he said.

Perkins, whose group is opposed to gay rights, warned activists against politicizing the issue.

“Family Research Council believes that every individual deserves equal protection, and every offender should receive equal punishment,” Perkins said. “Unfortunately, some pro-homosexual activists would exploit the personal tragedies of these families to promote a political agenda. Some have even laid blame not on the actual bullies but on Christian churches and conservative politicians. It's wrong to politicize these tragedies. Instead, we should focus on preventing the bullying of young people – for their sexual orientation, appearance, religion, or any other reason.”

(Related: Ellen DeGeneres, Anderson Cooper to blame for Tyler Clementi's death, minister claims.)