Bail lowered for suspect in PSU drug-trafficking ring
Abbatiello accused of leading large-scale cocaine-trafficking ring at university
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The alleged head of a large-scale cocaine-trafficking ring at Penn State University saw his bail lowered to $250,000 during a hearing Wednesday in Centre County court.
Agostino Abbatiello, 24, had been denied bail during his arraignment Aug. 18.
Earlier this week, his attorneys filed an emergency order for a bail reduction hearing, stating his due process rights were violated.
President Judge Jonathan Grine ultimately bound all of Abbatiello's charges to the Court of Common Pleas and lowered his bail to $250,000.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Megan McGoron asked that if bail is posted, it is proven that funds are from a legitimate source.
If Abbatiello posts bail, he must surrender his passport and is prohibited from having any contact with witnesses in the case, a release from the state Attorney General's Office states.
Bail stipulations also stated that Abbatiello must reside with his parents, is prevented from using any substances and must be brought by his parents to court proceedings.
Grine also addressed a motion made by defense attorney Philip M. Masorti, in which he alleged impropriety from the AG's Office regarding the group's August preliminary arraignments and which magisterial district judge handled them.
Grine ruled that the arraignment process was routine, according to the release.
Four of Abbatiello's co-defendants waived their right to a preliminary hearing, with some opting to take the stand to testify against Abbatiello during his joint preliminary and bail hearing.
Witnesses testified to Abbatiello boasting about his wealth and status as the ring's head and described how cocaine was brought into fraternity homes and subsequently trafficked.
Abbatiello is one of 14 individuals charged with allegedly operating a cocaine-trafficking ring at Penn State, a network that reportedly involved the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternities.
Those individuals include Pittsburgh residents Thomas Robinson, 23, and his father, Paul Robinson, 59; Mechanicsburg resident Seth Beardsley, 20; Media resident Kyle Ridpath, 21; Philadelphia resident Daniel Price, 21; Maryland residents Michael Brogno, 20, and Charles Weisman; New Jersey residents Mohammed Huraibi, 22, Kaden Howe, 22, and Larz Zeepvat, 24; New York residents Robert Zanolla, 24, Liam Smith, 23, and Connor Hurleigh, 22; and Andrew Acker, whose information was not available.
A preliminary hearing was also held for Paul Robinson, whose charges were ultimately held for county court.