00:00All right, good morning, everyone. I'm Attorney General Dave Sunday, and we're here in State
00:04College today to announce charges against more than a dozen individuals in connection
00:09with a drug trafficking operation revolving around a pair of fraternities for Penn State
00:15University students. All but one of the charged defendants were Penn State University students
00:20at or around the time of this alleged criminal conduct. These charges were the result of a
00:26long term investigation between the Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation,
00:32State College Police Department and a pair of statewide investigating grand juries impaneled
00:37by my office. What we learned during this investigation was that between 2023 and 2024, large amounts
00:45of cocaine kilos were brought from Philadelphia and New York to State College, where they
00:51were cut and packaged for sale primarily to Penn State students. The two main dealers, the
00:58top of the chain, if you will, were senior members of the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternities.
01:07Agostino Abatiello was at the very top of the chain. Thomas Robinson was a rung below that
01:14on the ladder and this poster here here shows Operation Drugs Unlimited and it shows the hierarchy
01:22of the organization. The evidence presented to the grand jury led to a recent presentment
01:27and recommendation of charges against 14 defendants. The evidence showed that cocaine was primarily
01:35packaged at the fraternity houses and that packaging was done by fraternity brothers and
01:41often time pledges. In fact, we found a pattern of events that showed cutting and bagging cocaine
01:49was for some pledges and indoctrination into the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternities.
01:57Before I get into further details on the investigation and conduct, let me tell you about the charges
02:04and I want to emphasize that all of these individuals are presumed innocent unless and until proven
02:10guilty. Agostino Abatiello, Thomas Robinson and two others, Mohammed Harabi and Lars Zipfat are charged
02:19with felony corrupt organizations because this was a coordinated and organized cocaine trafficking
02:25operation with regular trips to those source cities and large amounts of cocaine being brought back
02:31to these fraternities. They are also charged with conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity,
02:38and related offenses. A fifth person, Robert Zinola is charged with felony corrupt or I'm sorry,
02:47felony conspiracy and criminal use of communication facility and related misdemeanors.
02:53These are the five primary dealers. The eight other student age defendants in this case have been
03:00charged with misdemeanor counts of drug possession and paraphernalia. The only non student charge is Thomas
03:07Robinson's father, Paul Robinson, who we allege took steps to conceal evidence, including a safe containing
03:14drugs in cash.
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