A prominent Pittsburgh attorney and his son now face serious felony charges connected to an alleged cocaine operation at Penn State’s Delta Upsilon fraternity, with both men having previous encounters with law enforcement before this week’s arrests that swept up a dozen fraternity members.

Attorney Father Charged With Evidence Tampering

Paul Robinson, 59, faces felony charges including tampering with evidence, hindering apprehension, and obstructing the investigation into the fraternity cocaine ring. His attorney, Michael DeRiso, claims Robinson had no knowledge that a safe he allegedly hid contained cocaine and cash. According to DeRiso, Robinson obtained the safe while cleaning out his son’s fraternity room following a December 2024 arrest. The attorney insisted his client never flushed cocaine down the toilet to protect his son.

Robinson himself had legal troubles before these charges materialized. Court records show he was charged with DUI in 2024 after police recorded his blood-alcohol level at more than twice the legal limit during a May traffic stop. He waived his preliminary hearing, and the case was subsequently closed, though court documents do not reveal the final resolution.

Son’s Criminal History Includes Prior Drug Case

Thomas Robinson, 23, known as “T-Rob” among fraternity members, was among the dozen Delta Upsilon students charged this week. His legal troubles started in fall 2024 when he was caught defacing university property. He pleaded guilty to vandalism charges and paid a four hundred eighty dollar fine. Just months later in December 2024, the younger Robinson faced drug-dealing allegations that his father referenced in a now-deleted Facebook post defending his son.

In that social media statement, Paul Robinson expressed frustration about the resurfacing of his son’s previous issues. He wrote that his son had done everything possible to move forward from what he called a terrible mistake from almost two years ago. The elder Robinson claimed he tried only to do what was right and lawful at all times throughout the ordeal.

Pattern of Legal Troubles Precedes Major Bust

The father-son duo’s prior run-ins with law enforcement now appear as warning signs before their involvement in what authorities describe as a significant drug operation at one of Penn State’s fraternity houses. The December 2024 drug-dealing allegations against Thomas Robinson occurred around the same time his father allegedly received the safe during the fraternity room cleanup. The timing raises questions about what both men knew about ongoing illegal activities and when they knew it, as prosecutors build their case against all parties involved in the alleged cocaine distribution network.