A investigation into two fraternities at Pennsylvania State University revealed an intricate drug trafficking operation where members and pledges were allegedly enlisted to cut and package cocaine for sale.
Fourteen individuals were criminally charged by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office on Monday (Aug. 17). Thirteen were members of the Delta Epsilon and Sigma Chi fraternities at Penn State during 2023 and 2024 when the trafficking took place – four of them are current students. One person, Paul Robinson, is the father of one of the alleged participants.
“This is very serious criminal conduct. There was nothing junior or childlike about this type of conduct,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday told the press at a news conference. “This was an upper-level trafficking organization for this region in Pennsylvania.”
The investigation, dubbed “Operation Drugs Unlimited,” began in September 2024 as a State College Police Department detective worked with confidential informants to learn how the cocaine was obtained, packaged and sold at Penn State. Sunday added, “In fact, according to the evidence uncovered, cutting and packaging cocaine was, for some pledges, an indoctrination into the fraternities.”
The investigation found that sales were made at social gatherings at parties and fraternity houses, but there was no evidence that drugs were packaged on Penn State’s campus grounds. Agostino Abbatiello and Thomas Robinson were named as the two principals who ventured to New York and Philadelphia to obtain the cocaine.
Robinson’s father was charged with felony evidence tampering, hindering apprehension and obstructing the investigation. Eight others were charged specifically with misdemeanor possession and drug paraphernalia offenses.
In a statement, Delta Upsilon Executive Director Justin Kirk said that the international fraternity was aware of the charges and that all who were involved with ties to the fraternity were expelled or suspended if they didn’t resign. The offices of Sigma Chi in Evanston, Illinois, didn’t respond to press inquiries for comment.
