When police came knocking on his fraternity house door, Thomas Robinson thought it was his frat bros playing a prank on him.
He resisted arrest, but reality sank in when the 23-year-old was tasered and arrested for his part in an alleged cocaine ring.
He is now facing charges, along with his dad Paul and 13 others, in connection with the suspected drug operation.
Court documents allege that a man using the name T-Rob had been selling the drugs from Penn State’s Delta Upsilon fraternity house on Venmo.
Robinson was arrested in December 2024 and a raid on the house found eight grams of cocaine, eight ounces of cannabis and hundreds of amphetamine pills. Police also said they found a handgun in a safe above his mini-fridge.
Robinson told police that his supplier was Agostino Abbatiello, 24, a member of Sigma Chi, who prosecutors allege was at the top of the operation.
According to the complaint, students described Abbatiello as the largest cocaine distributor at Penn State.
Sunday said: ‘Packaging was done by fraternity brothers and oftentimes pledges.
‘In fact, we found a pattern of events that showed cutting and bagging cocaine was for some pledges an indoctrination into the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternities.’
Prosecutors allege Robinson and Abbatiello began working together in mid-2023.
Initially, they only sold to other frat members, according to court documents, but they went on to sell to other fraternities and students in 2024.
In one transaction, Robinson is accused of buying between $18,000 and $22,000 worth of cocaine from Abbatiello.
Robinson is now due to appear in court next month for a pre-trial hearing on charges of drug manufacturing and delivery, criminal use of a communication facility, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
His father has been charged with felony tampering, hindering apprehension and concealing evidence. Other defendants are facing counts of possession and paraphernalia.
Following the allegations, Delta Upsilon was suspended and Sigma Chi is not a recognised university organisation.
Penn State’s vice president of student affairs, Andrea Dowhower said: ‘We are horrified by these serious allegations against current and former students.
‘Criminal activity, including hazing, such as this has no place at our institution, and we will cooperate with law enforcement in any way we can.
‘We will continue to enhance our efforts around health and safety and hazing educational efforts for all our organisations.’
Bail was set at $1.5 million for Thomas Robinson and $1 million for Paul Robinson.
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