Penn State cocaine-trafficking charges implicate two fraternities, officials say
The Pennsylvania attorney general’s office on Monday filed criminal charges against 14 people accused of taking part in a cocaine-trafficking operation that authorities say was run through two Penn State fraternities and fed drugs primarily to students.
Thirteen of the defendants were Penn State students at or around the time of the alleged offenses in 2023 and 2024, and at least four are current students, the attorney general’s office said. Four defendants face felony counts of corrupt organizations, conspiracy and related offenses; a fifth is charged with felony conspiracy and other crimes. Eight other defendants face misdemeanor charges such as possession. One defendant, the father of a student, is accused of tampering with evidence and hindering the investigation.
Attorney General Dave Sunday described the operation as an “upper level trafficking organization” for central Pennsylvania, saying two main suppliers made regular trips to Philadelphia and New York to obtain large quantities of cocaine. The drugs were then packaged, according to investigators, at the off-campus houses of Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon and distributed mostly to Penn State students.
“This is very serious criminal conduct. There was nothing junior or childlike about this type of conduct,” Sunday said at a news conference. “This was an upper level trafficking organization for this region in Pennsylvania.”
Sunday also said fraternity members handled the packaging, and that investigators found indications that some pledges were initiated into both houses by cutting and bagging cocaine. He noted there was no evidence that drugs were packaged on Penn State’s campus.
Delta Upsilon Executive Director Justin Kirk said the international fraternity was aware of the allegations and that any members involved had been expelled or suspended if they did not resign. “We will continue to work closely with the university on any investigative efforts,” Kirk said. Sigma Chi’s headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The charges highlight how campus social organizations can become enmeshed in larger drug networks, and they could have lasting consequences for the fraternities’ local chapters and national reputations. The case also adds to broader scrutiny of fraternity culture, particularly around rituals that expose younger members to dangerous activity.
According to Sunday, most of the defendants facing felony charges were arraigned Monday morning.