The Pittsburgh attorney Paul Robinson, the father charged in the alleged Penn State fraternity cocaine trafficking ring, has spoken out about the case for the first time since his indictment last month.

In a statement sent to NewsWorks Lab through his attorney, Mike DeRiso, Robinson admitted that his son Thomas Robinson “made one of the worst decisions” while at Penn State.

Thomas Robinson allegedly sold cocaine and other drugs out of the Delta Upsilon off-campus house.

Thomas Robinson faces 21 felonies and 10 misdemeanors, including one felony count of conspiracy to violate Pennsylvania’s corrupt organizations law, one count of conspiracy to deliver drugs, and one first-degree felony count of dealing.

Paul Robinson said his son has spent the past two years digging himself out of the hole he put himself in while at Penn State, including by starting his own business.

“After these past 2 years of doing everything right and fully admitting what he did to try to move forward, Tom was re-charged with the same crimes which already had been filed against him, and with even additional crimes from what Tom was honest in telling them he did,” Paul Robinson said.

“His honesty was used against him, and it put him into a now deeper hole, but he still continues to do everything he can to show that his terrible mistake in college is not who he is.”

Thomas Robinson was initially arrested in 2024, when he told investigators that he purchased large amounts of cocaine from alleged ringleader Agostino Abbatiello.

Paul Robinson has been charged with felony tampering and hindering apprehension for trying to conceal evidence in connection with the case.

Prosecutors allege he helped hide a safe containing drugs and cash for his son, Thomas.

“I think how he feels is a lot of tears involved, not crying tears, but tears involved in that,” DeRiso told Onward State. “You have his son, and then you have Paul and his whole career, so he’s feeling for his son right now.”

DeRiso also noted that he has “a number of motions ready to go” for Paul Robinson’s arraignment on Wednesday.

DeRiso said the fact that the prosecutors haven’t provided a witness that can establish what was in the safe is “troubling.” The expected motions will clarify the direction the prosecutors plan to take, DeRiso said.

“I have not lived a perfect life by any means, but the claims and reports about me are not true. I respect the law more than anyone as those that know me I think would say,” Paul Robinson said. “I tried to do everything right after my son was arrested 2 years ago, and I look forward to telling what actually happened when we have that opportunity.”

DeRiso noted that neither he nor Paul Robinson will attend the arraignment on September 30, saying it’s just a “paper date.”

Monday’s statement from Paul Robinson echoes a now-deleted Facebook post on August 18 obtained by Onward State, where he questioned his son’s actions but claimed he was doing everything possible to move on.

“I promise I tried only to do what was right and lawful at all times,” Paul Robinson said in the post.