In Bellefonte, Pa., a former Penn State fraternity member admitted to participating in a significant cocaine distribution operation involving his fraternity. This testimony surfaced as prosecutor’s laid out a drug network involving fraternities near campus during hearings at the Centre County Courthouse for defendants including Agostino Abbatiello, Mohammed Huraibi, Paul Robinson, Thomas Robinson, and Robert Zanolla. These individuals are part of a larger group of 14 facing charges in connection with the alleged operation.
The Pennsylvania attorney general’s office presented documents detailing the alleged hierarchy of suppliers and distributors. They accused fraternity members of weighing, packaging, and delivering cocaine. Prosecutors claimed the drugs arrived in State College from places such as Philadelphia and New York before reaching students at Penn State.
Thomas Robinson, a former member of Delta Upsilon fraternity, testified that his cocaine transactions with Huraibi began in 2023 with a purchase of approximately 100 grams for $4,000. With time, the quantities increased to purchases involving up to 1 kilogram.
Prosecutors highlighted how Robinson stored the drug in his fraternity room, breaking it down into smaller portions. Each half-gram package sold for roughly $80.
During one transaction in March 2024, Robinson bought approximately 500 grams from Abbatiello for $22,000 via Snapchat, illustrating how the operation evolved with technology. Abbatiello allegedly transitioned from personal cocaine use to large-scale distribution for financial gain. He often made the exchanges through secured fraternity connections.
In court, Abbatiello’s lawyer stated, “I’m happy with the way things went today. My client’s going to be posting bail soon.” He was granted bail at $250,000 after previously being held without it.
Other individuals testified to their involvement, with roles ranging from packaging and delivering cocaine to acquiring it from New York. Testimonies from members like Lars Zeepvat described how Abbatiello shifted from user to dealer. State authorities claimed Zanolla and others helped bring drugs back from New York.
Additional details emerged related to a safe claimed to contain drugs and money, revealing the measures taken to hide evidence. Detective Donald Paul testified about seizing a safe containing drugs, a firearm, and cash from Thomas Robinson’s fraternity room.
Despite the comprehensive testimonies, Paul Robinson’s defense attorney argued there wasn’t tangible proof of the safe’s contents when retrieved. Nonetheless, the court found sufficient evidence to proceed with charges against Robinson related to tampering with evidence.
All defendants have yet to face trial, where the allegations will undergo legal scrutiny. Each remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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