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Judge Jonathan Grine approves felony charges for Agostino Sebastiano Abbatiello and Paul Robinson in Penn State cocaine ring case

Centre County Judge Jonathan Grine has approved felony charges against Agostino Sebastiano Abbatiello and Paul Robinson following a preliminary hearing regarding a cocaine trafficking ring at Penn State University. Agostino Sebastiano Abbatiello, a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, is accused of being the primary dealer for the drug ring between 2023 and 2024. Witnesses testified that Agostino Sebastiano Abbatiello supplied cocaine to other students and fraternity members, eventually earning the nickname "The Godfather" of the State College cocaine ecosystem. The hearing also established sufficient evidence to try Paul Robinson, a Pittsburgh attorney who is the only non-student charged in the case. Paul Robinson is accused of hindering the prosecution by concealing a safe that allegedly contained cocaine and drug proceeds belonging to his son, Thomas Robinson. A former student, Ryan Matson, testified that he hid the safe in the woods to protect his friend Thomas Robinson after the latter was arrested in December 2024. While defense attorney Michael DeRiso argued there is no direct evidence of what was inside the safe, the prosecution noted that Thomas Robinson testified to placing approximately 100 grams of cocaine and up to $10,000 in the safe before his arrest.

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