More than 20 current and former students at Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Appalachian State University have been arrested since July for dealing drugs, prosecutors announced Thursday (December 17).
Between 2017 and 2020, at least 21 people between the ages of 21 and 35 took part in a large-scale drug operation where police said they peddled thousands of pounds of marijuana, cocaine, and other drugs. Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood was surprised by the amount of drugs on the campuses, and said the investigation "unfolded unlike any other case I have seen."
According to the Daily Mail, prosecutors claim the contraband was shipped through the postal service from California and distributed around college campuses in North Carolina. Multiple former fraternity students allegedly purchased cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, and MDMA, with at least one member reportedly selling to his frat brothers. In total, prosecutors claim more than $1.5 million worth of drugs were sold in the area and were purchased either by cash or through the Venmo app.
In July, five people were charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana and an additional eight have since been charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Eight more people are also facing a variety of charges connected to the operation.
"No one is above the law, including college students and fraternity members at elite universities," said Martin Miller, U.S. Attorney for the middle district of North Carolina. "This serious drug trafficking is destructive and reckless, and many lives have been ruined. This investigation reveals that the fraternity culture at these universities is dangerous."
Miller said a step to solving this problem is for schools and national organizations to address the culture.
"University administrators and national chapters cannot turn a blind eye to the impact on these students and the environment on their respective college campuses," he said. "The drug culture feeds many other problems on campus in our society. University administrators must take a stand and put a stop to it."
The majority of those arrested are either current or former students at UNC. The university's chancellor released a statement Thursday addressing the situation.
"We are extremely disappointed to learn of these alleged actions on our campus," said Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz. "The university is committed to working with law enforcement to fully understand the involvement of any university individuals or organizations so that disciplinary action can be taken."
The suspects now facing charges include:
- Franciso Ochia, 27
- Andrew Gaddy, 24
- Travis Michael Evans, 27
- Dane Lamber Simon, 23
- Brianha Nicole Haskel, 24
- Mariela Zavala Mendoza (Maria Ochoa), 25
- Zachre Abercrombie, 27
- Amber Johnson, 24
- John Holloway, 23
- Devin McDonald, 23
- Jason Nitsos, 24
- Devon Pickering, 35
- Edison Robles, 26
- Jason Xu, 23
- Chandler Anderson, 27
- Davis Bayha, 21
- Kyle Beckner, 22
- Bernard Bukowski, 24
- Charles Cleveau "Chase" Poindexter, 23
- Jackson Norria, 22
- Christopher Reyes, 26
Photo: Getty Images