Frat members face charges in ski-resort trashing

DETROIT — They are no longer members of the University of Michigan's Greek Life system. The letters have been stripped from their house. Their national organization has cut ties.

And on Friday, three members of U-M's Sigma Alpha Mu chapter learned they will face charges for a wild January weekend that ended with a wrecked northern Michigan resort.

The Otsego County prosecutor announced he'll file charges against three fraternities members — the president, the treasurer and one other member. That third member will face a felony charge.

But Prosecutor Michael Rola was quick to point out the other fraternity members who partied at Treetops Resort in mid-January shouldn't breathe easy. If he can identify them, he's coming after them as well.

"Upon the receipt of additional identification information, it is anticipated that additional malicious destruction of building charges will be issued against several other members of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, and steps are being taken to obtain information on their specific actions," Rola said in a news release.

The names of those who will be charged have not been released. The two officers will be charged with misdemeanor counts of allowing minors to drink at a party. The third person, a fraternity member, will be charged with felony malicious destruction of property.

There were about 120 members of Sigma Alpha Mu and sister sorority Sigma Delta Tau at the resort, located near Gaylord, on Jan. 17-18. They damaged 45 rooms.

No one answered the door at Sigma Alpha Mu house when a reporter knocked early Friday evening.

It has been hard for the Michigan State Police and prosecutors to determine exactly who did what during that weekend.

Talking by phone with the Free Press, Rola said late Friday afternoon, "There were a lot of students there and it's hard to know exactly who was doing what. As we confirm identities and actions, we will pursue more charges."

Still, Rola wanted to send a message with the charges.

"We want to make sure Treetops is made whole," Rola said. "We want our community to know we take this very seriously."

Treetops said physical damages exceeded $200,000 and that amount could double when other factors are considered. Students destroyed ceiling tiles and exit signs, broke furniture and doors and urinated on carpeting, the resort management said.

The university has been waiting to see what happens with criminal charges before it launches its own disciplinary hearings for individual members.

"We will review the specifics as soon as we can get the investigative report," university spokesman Rick Fitzgerald told the Free Press. "We have said all along that we wanted individual accountability, and that if additional information became available we would consider that information.

Most students on campus Friday afternoon were basking in the early spring sun, talking about the NCAA tournament or trying to figure out plans for the weekend. But some said they were glad to see some sort of action taken by the criminal justice system.

"Most people I know who are in a fraternity aren't bad people," U-M junior Mark Washington, 21, of Livonia, said while walking across campus. "I think it's good there's some sort of charges coming. You can't just tear up a resort like that and get away with it. I hope the university goes after them as well."

Earlier this week, the national Sigma Alpha Mu organization permanently disbanded the U-M chapter not only for the damage it caused, but also the unwillingness of members to cooperate with investigations.

University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel in late February barred Sigma Alpha Mu from campus life for at least four years, the most severe sanction that can be implemented against any campus student organization.

Sorority Sigma Delta Tau was placed on a two-year disciplinary suspension because its members "stood by at Treetops Resort and allowed others to vandalize the facility," according to the U-M sanctions.