The former Penn State student and Sigma Chi fraternity member alleged to have led a large-scale cocaine trafficking ring out of two off-campus houses, Agostino Abbatiello, has been denied bail on Tuesday.

Abbatiello was arraigned by District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker on Tuesday morning after failing to appear for his first scheduled arraignment on Monday.

Gillette-Walker cited “flight risk; serious allegations of drug use/sales=danger to public” as reasons for denying bail, per the court docket.

Abbatiello was one of 13 former and current Penn State students charged on Monday for a drug trafficking ring that allegedly operated out of off-campus houses of Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi.

According to Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday, the operation ran throughout 2023 and 2024 and involved cocaine being transported in large quantities from Philadelphia and New York to State College, where it was allegedly packaged and distributed.

Authorities allege Abbatiello and Thomas Robinson, both senior fraternity members, were at the center of the operation, with Abbatiello as the head.

A witness who testified against Abbatiello called him “the largest dealer of cocaine for Penn State University students.”

Robinson notified investigators that Abbatiello was the head of the operation after he was arrested in December 2024. As the drug operation grew, other members of the fraternity, sometimes including pledges, packaged the drugs.

Eight others — Liam Smith, Michael Brogno, Kaden Howe, Connor Hurleigh, Seth Beardsley, Kyle Ridpath, Daniel Price, and Charles Wiseman — were charged with misdemeanor counts of possession and drug paraphernalia.

“We are pleased to report that the most significant members of this cocaine-trafficking organization are accounted for, and will have their fair process in court,” Sunday said. “These are very serious charges and the next steps will be preliminary hearings.”

Preliminary hearings for Abbatiello and four others facing felonies are set for September 2.