Pennsylvania cocaine trafficking case has ties to 2 fraternities

More than a dozen people were criminally charged Monday over their alleged ties to a cocaine-trafficking ring in Pennsylvania that involved two fraternities and students.

A total of 14 defendants — 13 of which were Penn State University students at or around the time of the alleged crimes in 2023 and 2024 — were charged Monday, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.

Four defendants face charges of felony corrupt organizations, conspiracy and other offenses, while a fifth is charged with felony conspiracy and other crimes. Eight other student-aged defendants are charged with misdemeanor counts, like possession. One defendant, who is the father of a student, is accused of tampering with evidence and hindering the investigation.

At least four of the defendants are current students, according to the attorney general's office.

Two defendants, who were the main suppliers, made routine trips to Philadelphia and New York to get large amounts of cocaine, according to the office. The cocaine was then packaged mainly at the Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon fraternity houses and distributed primarily to Penn State University students.

“This is very serious criminal conduct. There was nothing junior or childlike about this type of conduct,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said Monday at a news conference. “This was an upper level trafficking organization for this region in Pennsylvania.”

Sunday said fraternity brothers packaged the cocaine and that authorities found a pattern of some pledges being indoctrinated into both fraternities through cutting and bagging cocaine. Investigators did not hear about drugs being packaged on the Penn State University campus, Sunday noted.

Delta Upsilon Executive Director Justin Kirk said in a statement that the international fraternity was aware of the allegations and that those involved who had ties to Delta Upsilon were expelled or suspended if they did not resign.

“We will continue to work closely with the university on any investigative efforts," Kirk added.

The Sigma Chi headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The majority of defendants facing felony charges were arraigned Monday morning, Sunday said at the news conference.