University Of New Hampshire Frat Members Charged, Arrest Warrants Issued For 46 In Hazing Incident

Fraternity members at the University of New Hampshire have been issued 46 arrest warrants in an ongoing investigation into allegations of an April hazing incident.

According to the police, 10 members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon were arrested on Friday. Durham police said representatives from UNH contacted them on April 18 in connection to the alleged hazing at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house on Madbury Road. The 10 students who were arrested were then released and are due in court on Monday.

UNH spokeswoman Erika Mantz released a statement confirming that the fraternity has been suspended. "We were made aware of the incident by the fraternity's national headquarters and immediately notified the Durham Police Department," the statement said. "We have cooperated with police throughout the investigation, and the fraternity was interim suspended pending the outcome of the police investigation. We take any allegation of hazing very seriously, and now that the police investigation is complete, we will be initiating a formal conduct process."

The Sigma Alpha Epsilon New Hampshire Beta chapter hosted an event at its house with new fraternity members on April 13. However, five days later, on April 18, the university alerted authorities of an alleged hazing incident that happened during the said event. The police investigation concluded that there was "probable cause that the crime of Student Hazing had occurred." Police confirmed that arrest warrants for 46 members of the organization and the SAE New Hampshire Beta organization were issued on June 7.

Meanwhile, the national Sigma Alpha Epsilon organization released a statement in response to the investigation. "The Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity Service Center was made aware of an incident in April involving members of our chapter at the University of New Hampshire," the organization said in the statement. "Upon learning of the alleged incident, SAE immediately issued a Cease and Desist of the chapter, began our own investigation, and informed The University of New Hampshire's administration. SAE's investigation was paused upon being notified about the opening of a police investigation. We are fully cooperating with the local authorities' investigation and have urged all of our members to do the same," the statement continued. "Sigma Alpha Epsilon denounces all acts of hazing and misconduct that do not represent the Fraternity's values defined by our creed, The True Gentleman."

Hazing is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,200 fine for individuals and $20,000 for organizations.