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Twenty-one people have been charged in an alleged drug ring involving several fraternities and students at major North Carolina universities, the Department of Justice said Thursday. The alleged drug ring has brought more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana, several hundred kilograms of cocaine and “significant amounts of other drugs” to college campuses for several years, according to the DOJ.
The first person charged in the investigation was Francisco Javier Ochoa, whom the DOJ identified as a “main supplier” of narcotics. Court documents allege that Ochoa supplied approximately 200 pounds of marijuana and 2 kilograms of cocaine per week to a cooperating defendant in Orange County, North Carolina. Ochoa pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced in November to 73 months in prison. He was also ordered to pay a confiscation judgment of $ 250,000.
Between July and December 2020, 20 more people were charged in connection with the investigation, prosecutors said. Many of the defendants are identified as members of the fraternity or other students of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University and Appalachian State University.
They face charges including conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to distribute marijuana and distributing a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a public college or university. or private, among others.
In a statement announcing the charges, the DOJ said “the distribution of hard drugs is pervasive in and around certain fraternities.”
“No one is above the law, including students and members of the elite university fraternity. This serious drug trade is destructive and reckless, and many lives have been ruined,” said Matthew Martin , US attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. “This investigation reveals that the culture of brotherhood in these universities is dangerous. University administrators and national chapters cannot condone the impact on these students and the environment on their respective university campuses.”
UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz told CBS News in a statement that the university was “extremely disappointed” to learn of the allegations.
“Although none of the people named today are currently registered students, we will remain vigilant and continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and address any illegal drug use on our campus.” , said Guskiewicz.
Appalachian State University said it was “fully cooperating” with the investigation. Duke University did not respond to a request for comment.
Besides Ochoa, seven other defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
“The amount of illegal narcotics sold and used in this case was not only astonishing; it also reflected a very serious public health crisis,” said Orange County Sheriff, Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood. “We have been working on this case with the goal of saving lives.”
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