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Authorities reported that several hopefuls seeking to join a Penn State fraternity were forced to cut and package cocaine for a drug trafficking network that operated out of two off-campus fraternity houses.
The illicit initiation came to light on Monday, when Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday filed charges against 14 people—including 13 current or former Penn State students—in connection with the alleged drug ring.
The man accused of leading the operation, 24-year-old Agostino Abbatiello, turned himself in on Tuesday after failing to appear the previous day for a scheduled arraignment on charges including possession of narcotics with intent to distribute and conspiracy. He was ordered held without bail.
A message was left for Abbatiello's attorney seeking comment.
According to court documents, the ring operated in 2023 and 2024, fueled by wholesale quantities of cocaine that two of the defendants obtained from contacts in Philadelphia and New York.
Court documents state that they cut and bagged the drugs primarily at the Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon fraternity houses, using fraternity members and hopefuls as labor, and then distributed them through Penn State students.
One of the men claimed that a co-defendant was the “biggest cocaine dealer” at Penn State and that he “bragged about how much money he made selling cocaine.” Sunday’s office indicated that at least four of the defendants are current students.
“This is very serious criminal conduct. There was nothing juvenile or childish about this type of conduct,” Sunday stated Monday at a press conference. “This was a high-level trafficking organization for this region of Pennsylvania.”
Four people are charged with conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, corrupt organizations for committing a felony, and other crimes. Another defendant faces charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and criminal use of a communication facility.
Eight defendants face misdemeanor charges for drug possession.
Paul Robinson, the father of a student who was accused alongside Abbatiello of being one of the network's two main suppliers, is charged with the felonies of tampering with evidence, hindering apprehension, and obstructing the investigation. Authorities contend that he took steps to hide evidence, including a safe containing drugs and cash.
Court documents do not mention an attorney who could speak on behalf of Robinson.
Penn State reported that it placed Delta Upsilon on interim suspension, and noted that Sigma Chi is not recognized by the university and is not subject to its oversight.
Delta Upsilon Executive Director Justin Kirk indicated that anyone linked to the drug ring who had ties to Delta Upsilon was expelled or suspended from the fraternity if they did not resign.
Sigma Chi Executive Director Michael Church indicated that the three members accused from that fraternity were suspended pending the outcome of the judicial process. He added that the fraternity has provisionally suspended all operations of its Penn State chapter “while we determine whether these allegations reflect individual conduct or organized chapter activity.”
“This conduct is an egregious violation of our values and has no place in our fraternity, community or society,” Church stated, adding that any member involved “will be held fully accountable to the extent our fraternity allows.”
[Publicidad]