2 Maryland men arrested in Penn State cocaine bust involving fraternity pledges
Two men from Maryland were among the 14 people arrested in connection with a cocaine trafficking ring at Penn State University, according to court documents.
Michael Brogno Jr., of Ellicott City, and Charles Weisman, of Mount Airy, were charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to the criminal complaints released Wednesday, Brogno delivered cocaine to customers for the ring's alleged second-in-command, Thomas Robinson, back in October 2024. Weisman, meanwhile, is accused of packaging the cocaine for Robinson between September and October 2024.
They are among the eight men charged with misdemeanors in the case, while Robinson and four others are facing felony offenses.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office said they were all students at or around the time of the alleged crimes, which took place at the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternities between September 2023 and October 2024.
A 14th man, Robinson's father, was also arrested and charged with three felony counts for allegedly hindering the investigation.
What to know about the Penn State cocaine ring
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the arrests Monday, calling it a "coordinated and highly-profitable drug-trafficking crew."
The AG said Robinson and another former student, Agostino Abbatiello, were "senior members of the fraternities" and main suppliers of the drug ring, regularly traveling to Philadelphia and New York for cocaine.
Pledges at the fraternities' off-campus houses then cut and packaged the drugs, including some who said they did so as "indoctrination," the AG said. The drugs were "mainly" sold to students at the university.
Frat leaders allegedly behind the ring
Abbatiello was described as being "at the very top of the chain," and Robinson was "a rung below that on the ladder," according to Sunday.
A confidential informant bought cocaine at Delta Upsilon six times between September 2024 and December 2024, leading to Robinson's arrest, the grand jury findings say. He allegedly told officers Abbatiello was his source for the cocaine.
Abbatiello turned himself in to law enforcement Tuesday.
Penn State officials say Delta Upsilon has been placed on interim suspension, while the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response investigates. It also said Sigma Chi is not recognized by the university and operates outside of its support and oversight.
"We are horrified by these serious allegations against current and former students," Vice President for Student Affairs Andrea Dowhower said in a statement Monday.
