Mustang News Staff Report
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UPDATE:
Contacted the evening that news broke that McMillan had been arrested, current Delta Sigma Phi President and business administration senior Derek Morefield was still trying to make sense of the situation.
“I’ve been getting calls the past hour, so I’m slowly gathering all kinds of information right now,” Morefield said.
Morefield said that the fraternity is waiting to see what the investigation into McMillan’s charges reveals, and will then take action. Morefield said if McMillan was in possession of illegal drugs, that he would be removed from the fraternity.
“We’re not going to stand for anything like that,” Morefield said.
Morefield said he had spoken briefly with Cal Poly officials about the arrest, and that he is in contact with his national fraternity representatives.
Original post:
The San Luis Obispo police department has arrested nutrition senior Gear McMillan, a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, on charges of possessing marijuana for sales and the possession of a controlled substance in the form of non-prescription medication.
The arrest came while investigating the armed robbery attempt at the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity house on Aug. 10, in which five Cal Poly football players were arrested.
According to a San Luis Police Department press release, investigators were told that part of the motive for the robbery may have been to take cash and illegal drugs from the fraternity house.
In looking into the connection, investigators determined that enough evidence pointed to the possibility of illegal drugs being sold from the fraternity house. Investigators obtained a search warrant and searched the fraternity house on Thursday morning, the press release said.
During the search, investigators found evidence that indicated the possession and sale of marijuana.
According to San Luis Obispo Police Captain Keith Storton, McMillan was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of and selling marijuana, as well as being in possession of a controlled substance, in the form of non-prescription medication.
Storton said he could not disclose whether any of the drugs discovered where Xanax, which was found on the scene of a shooting involving former Cal Poly player Geoffrey Hyde in November 2013. Early reports on the robbery said Xanax may have been involved in this latest incident.
When asked about the possibility of further arrests, Storton left the possibility open, saying the investigation was ongoing, but that “we have nothing going on right now to arrest anyone else.”
McMillan is the former Delta Sigma Phi president, and a current chapter house resident. Soon after the robbery, when McMillan was asked about the possibility of drugs being a factor in the robbery, he said:
“If there was something like that, I would know.”
San Luis Obispo Police Chief Stephen Gesell included a statement in the press release, saying drugs were a variable that led to the armed robbery, which put the lives of police officers and bystanders at risk.
Gesell noted that officers were willing to risk their lives to protect members of the fraternity.
“For some of those very same people to deny culpability and brazenly continue to ‘do business’ without recognition of this fact is disturbing. We hope the real consequences levied today will ultimately have a positive impact in the lives of others,” Gesell wrote.
Cal Poly spokesperson Matt Lazier issued a statement, saying there is no place for illegal activity at Cal Poly, and student conduct violations would be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.
“We remain committed to cooperating with the San Luis Obispo Police Department and providing whatever support we can as they continue their investigation,” Lazier wrote.
Derek Morefield — current Delta Sigma Phi president — and Kathryn O’Hagan — coordinator of fraternity and sorority life — could not be reached as of 4 p.m. Thursday.
Kyle McCarty, Celina Oseguera, Morgan Butler, Kayla Missman and Leah Horner contributed to this report.