Four Students Jailed, Face Disorderly House Charges
Zeta Beta Tau is suspended by Dean of Students Office
Two raucous parties at this house in Allston, one last September and one in January, have resulted in bail being revoked for four BU students. Photo by Cydney Scott
Four BU students spent three nights in jail and face a court hearing today stemming from two raucous parties in Allston.
The four—Sawyer Petrick (CGS’14), John Pavia (CGS’14), Michael Oldcorn (CFA’16, CAS’16), and Terry Bartrug (CGS’13, CAS’15)—will appear in Brighton District Court on charges of keeping a disorderly house, according to Boston Police Sergeant Mike O’Hara. He says they were jailed for violating probation terms set after the first party, held on September 21, 2013.
The most recent party took place on January 26 at 85 Linden St., where the four live, according to police reports, which also list that address as the Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) fraternity. Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore (SED’87) says his office suspended ZBT late yesterday, pending the outcome of an investigation by the Interfraternity Council and the Office of Judicial Affairs. “We believe that the January 26 incident is likely to have been a ZBT function, and we believe that four of five students living at the house are members of ZBT,” Elmore says. “It is alleged that the gathering was organized by ZBT and was part of a recruitment event, and that there was underage drinking at the event.”
Elmore says the national organization is aware of the suspension. ZBT president Rogger Andrade (CGS’13, CAS’15) declined comment on the matter.
Prior to the September 21 party, according to police reports, 85 Linden St. had been listed as a “problem property” because of numerous past complaints. That night, when officers responded to a complaint from neighbors and found an estimated 200 partygoers at the house and the property cluttered with alcohol containers, those inside quickly shut off the lights and loud music, the reports say. The police knocked at the door for more than five minutes, announcing their identity, before someone admitted them. Inside, the police smelled marijuana and found at least one underage drinker; they determined that none of the partygoers required medical help.
A smoke detector in the kitchen had been covered in plastic and wasn’t working, posing a safety hazard, the police also allege.
At their subsequent arraignment, the four students pleaded not guilty and were put on pretrial probation by the judge, who forbade them from having guests, says Jake Wark, spokesman for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office. But on January 26, police responded to another complaint about a party at the address and found an estimated 150 to 200 attendees, O’Hara says.
The judge revoked bail for the four students for violating probation, and they were held at the Nashua Street Jail pending today’s pretrial hearing, says O’Hara.
Comments & Discussion
Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.