Delta Tau Delta Fraternity could face penalties from Ball State University and its national headquarters for two of its members suspected involvement in a theft, according to university officials.
Lynda Wiley, director of student life, said the university is gathering information to determine whether fraternity members Dustin Koch and James Finn should be held individually accountable for their theft charges, or the fraternity could be held accountable as a whole.
Koch was released from Delaware County Jail on a $20,000 bond Thursday, after police arrested him on suspicion of burglary and theft/possession of stolen property following a theft at Theta Chi fraternity house Tuesday, according to jail officials. Finn was released on a $6,000 bond for theft/possession of stolen property and minor possession/consumption of alcohol on Wednesday, according to jail officials.
Gene Burton, director of public safety, said in a previous interview Ball State police arrested Koch and Finn early Wednesday after they found property Theta Chi reported stolen in Finn's bedroom at Delta Tau Delta's house.
According to police reports, paddles, trophies, composite photos and a fraternity flag were stolen from Theta Chi's house.
Wiley said the legal case has been given to the Delaware County Prosecutor.
Phone calls to County Prosecutor Mark McKinney were not returned Thursday.
According to the Indiana Code, if Koch is convicted of burglary, a Class B Felony, he could receive between six and 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.
If Finn is convicted of minor possession/consumption of alcohol, a Class C misdemeanor, he could receive a maximum of 60 days in prison and a maximum fine of $500, according to the Indiana Code.
If either man is convicted of theft/possession of stolen property, a Class D Felony, he could receive between six months and three years in prison with a maximum fine of $10,000, according to the Indiana Code.
The sentences can be served simultaneously or consecutively depending on the verdict, according to the Indiana Code.
Wiley said she and other Ball State officials will meet with members of Delta Tau Delta and Theta Chi to determine what happened.
"In conducting an investigation, I just take the facts as I know them - What happened? Who was involved? Where do we go from here?" she said. "We take every bit of information into account. We want to get a complete picture of what really happened."
If the university decides to hold Delta Tau Delta responsible as a whole, Wiley said, officials might consider prior problems.
"If it goes to the next step of adjudication, we would really look at what are some patterns of behavior," she said. "It can be appropriate to look at past history and what is the culture of the organization."
(Source: previous Daily News articles)
Delta Tau Delta was suspended during an investigation in late 2006 that looked into the assault of now-junior Zachary Holsinger.
The suspension was lifted after the investigation concluded. The fraternity suspended member Chad Stickley for striking Holsinger.
Holsinger filed a civil law suit against Holsinger and the fraternity in April.
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