More than a dozen Penn State University students are accused of packaging and selling cocaine as part of a multistate drug operation.Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday made the announcement during a news conference on Monday at State College.According to Sunday, between 2023 and 2024, large amounts of cocaine were transported from Philadelphia and New York to State College, Pennsylvania.The drugs were cut, packaged and sold primarily to Penn State students, investigators said.Officials identified the two leaders of the operation as Agostino Abbatiello, 24, of Westbury, New York, and Thomas Robinson, 23, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Investigators said Abbatiello and Robinson were senior members of the off-campus fraternities Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon, respectively.Sunday said the drugs were primarily packaged at the fraternity houses by both fraternity brothers and pledges.
He also said some of the pledges cut and bagged cocaine as part of their initiation.“We did not hear of any drug packaging happening on Penn State’s campus,” Attorney General Sunday said.“Again, the packaging happened at off-campus fraternity houses.
And the actual drug dealing was largely from friend to friend, fraternity brother to fraternity brother, acquaintance to acquaintance and at fraternity houses and/or during parties or social engagements.”In all, 14 people were charged in the drug operation with all but one being Penn State students, according to Sunday.Abbatiello, Robinson and two other students — identified as Mohammed Hurabi and Lars Zeepvat — were charged with felony corrupt organizations, conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and other related offenses.A fifth student, Robert Zanolla, was charged with felony conspiracy, criminal use of communication facility and other related misdemeanors.Eight other students, Liam Smith, Michael Brogno, Kaden Howe, Connor Hurleigh, Seth Beardsley, Kyle Ridpath, Daniel Price, and Charles Wiseman, were charged...