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 May 6, 2008 Tuesday 6:06 PM PST

LENGTH: 946 words

BYLINE: KELLY WHEELER

DATELINE: SAN DIEGO

BODY: 

An extensive undercover drug operation targeting drug dealers and buyers on the San Diego State University campus resulted in the arrests of nearly 100 people, including 75 students and fraternity members, authorities said today.

Eighteen SDSU students were arrested today. One of the students arrested was an alleged cocaine dealer on campus who was just a month from getting his master's degree in Homeland Security. He also worked as a student community service officer, authorities said.

Another student arrested for alleged possession of 500 grams of cocaine and illegal possession of two guns is a criminal justice major, authorities said.

"A sad commentary is that when one of these individuals was arrested, they inquired as to whether his arrest and incarceration would have an effect on him becoming a federal law enforcement officer," said Ralph Partridge, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's San Diego Field Office.

Partridge said the undercover operation was the largest campus drug bust ever in San Diego County.

Authorities seized about four pounds of cocaine, 50 pounds of marijuana and 350 ecstasy pills, as well as cash and weapons.

Also seized were hashish oil, methamphetamine, psychedelic mushrooms and illicit prescription drugs and firearms, according to the District Attorney's Office.

In all, more than $100,000 worth of illegal drugs were seized during the operation, said Damon Mosler, chief of the Narcotics Division of the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.

Two of the defendants, Patrick Hawley and Omar Castaneda, pleaded not guilty today in Superior Court.

Hawley, a 20-year-old already in jail on an unrelated robbery case, was ordered held on $75,000 bail.

Prosecutor Shawn Tafreshi said Hawley sold 1/8 ounce of cocaine to an undercover agent and often bragged about how he was going to take over as a seller for another person.

Tafreshi said Castaneda, 36, is a documented gang member and suspected cocaine supplier. When agents searched the defendant's home, they found cocaine, a money counter and two cell phones.

Castaneda was ordered held on $150,000 bail by Judge Frederick Maguire.

SDSU President Stephen L. Weber said the arrested students have been suspended from school pending a "due process" hearing and those living in campus-managed housing have been evicted.

"If proven guilty, these individuals have preyed on students and have ruined hundreds of lives," Weber said. "These arrests underscore the scope of the challenges universities face as we fight this major societal problem.

"Drug use is a concern on virtually every university campus in our country," Weber said. "SDSU has taken this action to confront it directly.

"San Diego State University is dedicated to the pursuit of higher learning and human growth and development. Trafficking in illegal substances is inconsistent with our values and the pursuit of our mission.

"We are determined to remove people from our community who place our students at risk and to see that they are turned over to the criminal justice system," the president said. "The health and safety of our students at San Diego State is our highest priority. 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."

The undercover operation, dubbed "Operation Sudden Fall," was triggered on May 6, 2007, when a 19-year-old SDSU student, Shirley Jennifer Poliakoff, was found dead of a cocaine overdose in the bedroom of her Alpha Phi sorority house.

At the same time the undercover operation was under way, 22-year-old Kurt Baker, a Mesa College student, died from an accidental cocaine overdose in an SDSU fraternity house on Feb. 24, authorities said.

"All of them are tragedies," said SDSU police Chief John Browning. "We're all parents, we're all brothers, mothers, fathers. And anytime we lose someone who's precious to us, we need to do something about it."

Five months ago, SDSU police solicited the help of the DEA to infiltrate several student drug distribution cells and facilitate undercover drug buys.

In one instance, a member of the Theta Chi fraternity allegedly sent out a mass text message to his "faithful customers," stating that he and his associates would be traveling to Las Vegas for the weekend and would not be able to complete cocaine sales during that time, authorities said.

The fraternity member said he and his associates were having a "sale" on cocaine and listed the reduced prices, authorities said.

As a result of the drug investigation, six SDSU fraternities have been placed on interim suspension, school officials said.

The six fraternities include: Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Kappa Psi, Phi Kappa Theta, Theta Chi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Sigma Alpha Mu.

Partridge commended San Diego State and its police department for their swift actions in confronting the drug use problem on campus.

"This investigation spotlights two tragedies," Partridge said. "The tragic death overdose death of two college students and secondly, the shattered futures of those students who choose to continue to engage in the illicit sale and usage of a myriad of controlled substances. A drug-free learning environment for our children should be the norm, not the exception."

Weber was asked how he felt about the perception of San Diego State now that the drug bust has been made public.

"Well, I feel good about it, frankly," Weber said. "I don't know how others are going to feel about our university, but we did the right thing and we stepped up; and I think, frankly, more universities need to take this sort of proactive action."

LOAD-DATE: May 7, 2008