CU Sigma Nu fraternity members facing charges

Sigma Nu fraternity pledges and one brother are facing charges for alleged conspiracy and criminal mischief after participating in a scavenger hunt, which involved theft and vandalism.

Brayden Stolfe, a 20-year-old open-option major and brother in Sigma Nu was the one who allegedly instigated the scavenger hunt on Thursday morning. Stolfe, though  not present at the scene, received the same citations after taking responsibility for starting the scavenger hunt, said Laurie Ogden, Boulder Police Department spokeswoman.

The pledges allegedly involved were Brandon Piskin, an 18-year-old open-option major, Jacob Miller, an 18-year-old geology major, Alexander Blyth, an 18-year-old an architectural engineering major, Chase Colwell, an 18-year-old film studies major and Jake Fitzgerald, a 19-year-old environmental studies major.

At 12:45 a.m. Thursday, Boulder police officers were on a routine patrol in an unmarked car when they saw two young men running from McCaddon Cadillac on Pearl.

Ogden said the officers thought it looked suspicious. So, when the two young men entered a car and began to drive away, the officers followed them and pulled them over.

At first, the young men told the police that they had dropped off two friends as a joke and were picking them up, but during the conversation the police officers noticed several hood ornaments in the back of the car. It was then that the group said they were involved in a scavenger hunt.

“[The officers] had seen two Cadillac hood ornaments and a Jaguar one,” Ogden said. “We don’t know if there were additional ones.”

The officers also found the scavenger hunt list, but it had been ripped apart, Ogden said.

Since fraternities at CU are not recognized students groups, CU’s action will come through addressing violations of the student conduct code on an individual basis. CU officials may also contact the national fraternity and ask for punishments or even advocate shutting down the CU chapter.

The Interfraternity Council has launched an investigation into the scavenger hunt allegations as well and may create their own punishments or sanctions against Sigma Nu.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Rose Heaphy at Josephine.heaphy@colorado.edu.