Penn State frat cocaine bust blows lid off wider stimulant scourge hitting college campuses — and beyond

The explosive Penn State fraternity coke bust has laid bare a terrifying trend creeping across rural America: young people are increasingly turning to stimulants.

Last month, the Pennsylvania State Attorney General broke the news that 14 men – most of them frat brothers – were arrested for allegedly operating a massive cocaine ring from off-campus frat houses.

Court documents reveal the alleged kingpin, Agostino Abbatiello, 24, posted a $250,000 bail and was released from jail on Sept.

2, after spending more than two weeks behind bars.

As the case heats up, Centre County Drug and Alcohol Administrator Catherine Arbogast said young people are looking for stronger stimulants on and off campus.

PENNSYLVANIA AG ASKED WHETHER PENN STATE COULD FACE ACTION OVER ALLEGED FRATERNITY DRUG RING 📩 Send me a story idea: [email protected] 📸 Instagram: kelsiecairns_tv 🎥 Facebook: Kelsie Cairns PENN STATE FRAT COKE RING'S ALLEGED RINGLEADER DENIED BAIL AFTER MISSING ARRAIGNMENT, TURNING HIMSELF IN "What is being reported to us is that we have gone from just seeing opiates and opiate derivatives to also seeing more stimulant use," she said.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X Arbogast explains it's not just cocaine or even Adderall that young people are on the market for.

SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST TRUE CRIME NEWS "We're seeing methamphetamines, we're seeing a variety of stimulants, we're seeing prescription meds, we're seeing synthetic medications—things that are being cooked up in laboratories," she said.

CHINESE NATIONALS ACCUSED OF SMUGGLING SYNTHETIC DRUGS INTO US PRISONS ON DRUG-SOAKED PAPER In the Penn State case, frat pledges were allegedly coerced to cut and pack cocaine as part of initiation rituals, investigators said.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE SEND US A TIP It's the "cutting" or mixing of the drug that when consumed, can lead to deadly consequences for the user.

PENN STATE FRAT COCAINE RING SUSPECTS ALLEGEDLY USED CASH APP, SNAPCHAT TO ARRANGE DRUG DEALS "When people are buying drugs, they really don't know what they're getting because drugs are mixed, there are combinations of drugs, and so when they take something, they might be getting a stimulant, they might be getting an opioid, which is more of a depressant, or they might be getting a combination of the two," Arbogast said.

WHO'S WHO? MEET THE PENN STATE FRAT BROS ACCUSED OF OPERATING THE OFF-CAMPUS COKE RING LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST But it's not just college students who are looking for a fix.

GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL "Stimulant use, opiate use, drug use is a pattern that is happening in rural communities across the state of Pennsylvania and across the United States," Arbogast said.