More than a dozen Penn State University students ran a cocaine trafficking ring that cut and packaged the potent drug mainly at two fraternity houses, authorities said on Monday.
The Pennsylvania attorney general, Dave Sunday, announced charges on Monday against ۱۴ people linked to the purported operation, saying it involved “primarily college students and two fraternities”. The drugs were “distributed mainly to Penn State … students”, Sunday’s office contended in statements that caused waves far beyond the research university’s campus community.
The drugs were allegedly trafficked in ۲۰۲۳ and ۲۰۲۴. Thirteen of the defendants charged in the case were students during that time frame. And of those, Sunday’s office said, four are still enrolled as Penn State students.
There were two main suppliers in the group who made “regular” trips to New York and Philadelphia “for large quantities of cocaine,” the agency said. Prosecutors said that four defendants face charges involving “felony corrupt organizations, conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, and related offenses”.
Another defendant is charged with felony conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility, as well as related misdemeanors. Eight other “student-aged” defendants face misdemeanor counts of paraphernalia and possession.
The ۱۴th person charged was described as a student’s father, who is accused of tampering with evidence and hindering the investigation. The majority of payments were in cash or through “payment apps”, according to Sunday.
“This was a coordinated and highly-profitable drug-trafficking crew revolving around two senior members of the fraternities, other fraternity brothers, and pledges,” Sunday said. “In fact, according to the evidence uncovered, cutting and packaging cocaine was, for some pledges, an indoctrination into the fraternities.”
“This is very serious criminal conduct. There was nothing junior or childlike about this type of conduct,” Sunday said at a news conference, according to the Associated Press. “This was an upper level trafficking organization for this region in Pennsylvania.”
Andrea Dowhower, Penn State’s vice-president for student affairs, said in a statement: “We are horrified by these serious allegations against current and former students.”
“Criminal activity, including hazing, such as this has no place at our institution, and we will cooperate with law enforcement in any way we can,” Dowhower said. “We will continue to enhance our efforts around health and safety and hazing educational efforts for all our organizations.”
Both of the fraternities linked to the case announced by Sunday were off campus. Delta Upsilon, which Penn State placed on interim probation pending a university investigation, said “the individuals associated with Delta Upsilon have either been expelled, suspended or resigned”.
“The charges filed today stem from alleged incidents that Delta Upsilon International Fraternity was previously made aware of,” said the statement from Delta Upsilon’s executive director, Justin Kirk. “We will continue to work closely with the university on any investigative efforts.”
The other fraternity, Sigma Chi, did not immediately respond a request for comment from the Guardian.
