Suspects in Penn State fraternity cocaine trafficking case waive preliminary hearings

Eight suspects in the ongoing Penn State fraternity cocaine trafficking case who were due in court Wednesday waived their preliminary hearings. 

Fourteen people in total have been charged in the case, where prosecutors allege that a "coordinated" and "highly-profitable" cocaine distribution ring was operating out of two fraternities at the university.

Prosecutors said pledges at the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternity houses would cut and package the cocaine, including some who did it as an "indoctrination" into the frats. 

Liam Smith, Michael Brogno, Kaden Howe, Connor Hurleigh, Seth Beardsley, Kyle Ridpath, Daniel Price and Charles Wiseman waived their preliminary hearings on misdemeanor counts of possession and paraphernalia.

Last month, Agostino Abbatiello, Thomas Robinson, Paul Robinson, Muhammad Huraibi, Robert Zanolla and Lars Zeepvat made court appearances. The six individuals are facing felony charges in the case.

Court documents revealed last month showed that Robinson, one of the alleged ringleaders in the case, used his status within the Delta Upsilon fraternity to recruit pledges to help with drug trafficking. 

The grand jury presentments said that Robinson's drug dealing began with selling marijuana before he met Abbatiello, the self-proclaimed "Godfather," who was a brother of Sigma Chi.  Robinson admitted to the grand jury that he obtained cocaine from Abbatiello "on numerous occasions," detailing six "larger" transactions that occurred in 2024.   

Thomas Robinson's father, Paul, who is a prominent Pittsburgh attorney, was charged in the case and accused of helping hide a safe containing drugs and cash for his son. 

The next scheduled court proceedings are set to be held in mid-November.