Timothy Piazza Hazing Case: 3 Penn State Fraternity Members Receive Jail Sentences

A Pennsylvania judge on Tuesday sentenced three former Penn State University fraternity members to jail for the 2017 hazing death of 19-year-old pledge Timothy Piazza.

Beta Theta Pi fraternity members Michael Bonatucci, 21, received 30 days to six months in jail on three counts of hazing and one count of conspiracy, Luke Visser, 21, received two to six months in jail on six counts of hazing and one count of conspiracy and Joshua Kurczewski, 20, received three to nine months on one count of hazing, one count of furnishing liquor to a minor and one count of conspiracy.

All three had pleaded guilty to hazing charges and must pay a fine and complete 100 hours of community service.

Joseph Sala, 21, received up to 10 months of house arrest.

Piazza died on Feb. 4, 2017, after being coerced into drinking large amounts of alcohol.

"Piazza’s 'brothers,' including defendant Visser, repeatedly encouraged and caused more and more alcohol consumption until his judgment and physical control of his body became severely impaired, This directly resulted in his slow and painful death," prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memo.

In the aftermath, the fraternity chapter was closed and 28 former members faced criminal charges in what became one of the largest hazing probes in the history of the U.S. Originally, the fraternity members were facing more serious charges, such as aggravated assault but the judge threw most of those charges out.

There are still multiple fraternity members who have yet to be sentenced, including the chapter president and pledge master, who faces involuntary manslaughter charges and is still awaiting trial.