George Mason University

GMU Cheating Ring Uncovered After Student's Death: Documents

Months after a George Mason University student ran through a fifth-floor window and fell to his death, police are investigating an alleged cheating ring involving the sophomore's fraternity brothers.

Tristan Medina, 19, took the hallucinogenic drug LSD before he smashed through the dorm building window and fell to the ground on Sept. 30, 2017, police said. He died a short time later of his injuries.

Police have charged 19-year-old Alejandro Porrata with supplying the drug to Medina three days before his death, The Washington Post reported. Both Medina and Porrata were members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

According to search warrant documents, police searched Medina's dorm after his death and seized two laptops that had a "bank" of university exams.

At least two people told police the exams were property of the university and should never have been available outside of class, the documents say.

The warrant says police also discovered a text message on the phone of Medina's suitemate to the president of SAE that said, "Yo...how can I get one of the tests from our test bank?"

In October, George Mason Univeristy police detectives searched two off-campus houses and the fraternity president's car. They confiscated several hard drives and phones that allegedly contained exams and other academic materials.

No criminal charges have been filed.

A spokesperson for the university said in a statement, “The fraternity was suspended on an interim basis pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing. That process is still underway, and final disciplinary action may follow.”

Porrata's attorney is Thomas Walsh. He says Medina committed suicide and it's unfair to hold Porrata responsible.

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