Stay Classy, SDSU

Operation Sudden Fall snares 96 on SDSU campus on drug charges


By Angelica Martinez, Debbi Farr Baker and Karen Kucher
UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM

and Sherry Saavedra
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

1:38 p.m. May 6, 2008

SAN DIEGO – A year-long investigation at San Diego State University has resulted in 96 people being arrested on drug-related charges, including 75 students, officials said Tuesday.
Eighteen SDSU students were taken into custody Tuesday morning and other related arrests have taken place over the past year, San Diego State University Police Chief John Browning said.

The investigation – dubbed Operation Sudden Fall – was launched a year ago by campus police and targeted people suspected of selling illegal drugs to SDSU students, Browning said. About five months ago, federal drug agents joined the probe, launching a series of undercover drug purchases.

Students that were arrested have been suspended, pending a due-process review. Those living in campus housing who have been arrested will be evicted.

“SDSU will continue to do what is necessary, through both enforcement and education, to encourage our students to make the responsible choices to ensure the health and safety of our campus community,” SDSU president Stephen Weber said.

Items seized in the investigation included $100,000 worth of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy pills, mushrooms, methamphetamine, and illicit prescription drugs. One shotgun, three semi-automatic pistols and about $60,000 in cash also were seized, Browning said.

The investigation was launched after a student died of a cocaine overdose a year ago.

Shirley Jennifer Poliakoff, 19, was found dead on the morning of May 6, 2007 in her Aztec Corner apartment. She was a member of Alpha Phi sorority.

A county Medical Examiner's investigator said Poliakoff died from acute cocaine and ethanol intoxication. The death was ruled accidental.

An arrest in connection with her death has been made. That person was not among those arrested in the operation, said Damon Mosler, narcotics division chief for the District Attorney.

More than 130 undercover drug buys were made over the past five months at fraternity houses, in front of campus dormitories and at various locations off campus.

During that time, a second drug overdose near campus was reported. On Feb. 24, Kurt Baker was found dead of an accidental cocaine overdose in a SDSU fraternity house. The county Medical Examiner's office said Baker died from acute oxycodone and alcohol intoxication. It was ruled accidental.

Officials said among those arrested is Michael Montoya, a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, who was one month away from obtaining his master's degree in Homeland Security. Montoya also worked as a community service officer on campus and reported to campus police.

Another student majoring in criminal justice was arrested for possession of 500 grams of cocaine and two guns, officials said.

“A sad commentary is that when one of these individuals was arrested, he inquired as to whether or not his arrest and incarceration would have an effect on his becoming a federal law enforcement officer,” said Ralph Partridge, special agent-in-charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Others arrested include Omar Castaneda, a 36-year-old Pomona gang member with close ties to some of the Mexican drug cartels, Mosler said.

Castaneda, who is believed to have been at the highest level of the drug trafficking, was being arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Superior Court.

Also scheduled to be arraigned was Patrick Hawley, 20, who was arrested on suspicion of armed robbery and selling cocaine near the campus, officials said.

“Castaneda was one of the main sources of supply for some of the dealers on the campus,” Mosler said.

Officers infiltrated seven campus fraternities. In some fraternities, most of the members were aware of organized drug dealing occurring from the houses by other members, officials said.

In one instance, a member of the Theta Chi fraternity sent out a mass text message to his “faithful customers” stating that he and his associates would be in Las Vegas for the weekend and cocaine sales could not be made.

The message said there was a “sale” on cocaine and listed reduced prices.

Narcotics authorities said the sales were predominantly arranged by text messages.

The drug dealers “weren't picky about who they sold to,” Mosler said.

Weber said the fraternities involved, Theta Chi and Phi Kappa Psi, could face sanctions such as expulsion from the campus.

Faculty and staff were not made aware of the undercover investigation being conducted on and near campus.

“This was not a difficult decision,” Weber said. “We needed to do something about it. We're talking about drug trafficking. That's the thing we were not prepared to turn our backs on. We had to deal with this.”

Mosler said the university's cooperation is rare and should be used as an example for other campuses.

“Being proactive and taking on these problems at schools is not easy. Nobody likes that. We've often had issues with people not wanting to take on problems at schools,” Mosler said.

Those arrested Tuesday morning were taken to Cox Arena for questioning. The operation has concluded, but officials said the investigation is continuing.