Former Penn State student from Westbury in court for university cocaine dealing ring case

A former Penn State student from Westbury turned himself in to Pennsylvania authorities and pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and drug charges in a fraternity cocaine trafficking ring case.

Agostino Abbatiello, 24, surrendered on Tuesday morning and was arraigned by a Pennsylvania state magistrate judge on a grand jury indictment on 11 felony charges, including felony corrupt organizations, conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and manufacturing or delivering drugs.

The judge denied bail after Abbatiello missed the Monday arraignment with 13 other defendants, mostly current and former students. One student’s father was charged with dealing cocaine at Penn State fraternities.

Media was camped outside the Abbatiello home in Westbury on Tuesday afternoon, but the family went inside without commenting and didn’t answer a Newsday reporter who was at the front door.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said police issued an arrest warrant for Abbatiello on Monday and he surrendered Tuesday morning in Centre County, Pennsylvania. His defense attorney could not immediately be reached for comment on Tuesday.

"There was nothing junior or childlike about this conduct. This was an upper-level trafficking organization," Sunday said during a news conference on Monday. "Multiple witnesses described Abbatiello as the largest dealer of cocaine for Penn State students."

Most of the defendants were arraigned in Pennsylvania state court on Monday.

Abbatiello and four others face felony charges related to trafficking and eight defendants face misdemeanor drug possession charges. At least four defendants are current Penn State students.

The alleged activity happened at two off-campus fraternities, primarily between 2023 and 2024, when Abbatiello graduated, prosecutors said.

Witnesses told the grand jury that Abbatiello continued to run the operation and sold drugs to friends as recently as February, according to court records.

Sigma Chi fraternity member

Prosecutors allege Abbatiello, a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity at Penn State, and Thomas Robinson, of Delta Upsilon, were the primary suppliers of the operation. They would allegedly make several large pickups of cocaine in Philadelphia and New York to bring back to both fraternities, where the drugs were often cut and packaged for sale.

Abbatiello and other fraternity members allegedly had other fraternity brothers package cocaine, as well as pledges who took part as indoctrination into the houses, Sunday said.

One of Abbatiello's former business partners told police that Abbatiello found a source for the large amounts of cocaine "in his hometown in New York," according to a criminal complaint. 

The business partner told police Abbatiello would buy 100 grams of cocaine in New York every three to six weeks to bring back to package at Penn State frat houses, according to the complaint. Abbatiello was seen buying a half-kilogram of cocaine for $20,000, the complaint states. Another witness told police he paid Abbatiello more than $50,000 for cocaine purchases from New York.

"Once a source was obtained in New York, around Spring 2023, Abbatiello made a large purchase, for 100 grams of cocaine," the complaint said. "Once he made this large purchase ... it was clear to him that Abbatiello was now selling drugs for profit, rather than sourcing it for himself and a few friends."

The drug packaging occurred off campus, prosecutors said. The cocaine was distributed at frat houses, among friends and at off-campus parties, Sunday said.

Abbatiello kept a blog as a student, including posts about cryptocurrency and accounting. He described himself as an incoming senior on the dean’s list for three consecutive semesters "with a passion for numbers and financial storytelling."

"I will strive to be at the forefront of the ever-evolving financial landscape," he wrote. "Beyond accounting, I enjoy hiking, cooking, and learning more about the financial market."

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.