Secret Service Agent and Others Arrested for Violent Fraternity Hazing

A U.S. Secret Service agent and two other individuals face charges for violent felonies in the Miami area. Authorities report that they engaged in brutal beatings as part of a fraternity hazing ritual in April, leading to two people being hospitalized. The individuals were part of a local chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi.

One of those charged, 29-year-old Marquez Christopher Pinder, worked in the Secret Service’s Miami field office. An arrest warrant describes him as a ‘dean of pledges’ for the fraternity. The Secret Service has put Pinder on administrative leave and is cooperating with the investigation. Released on a $75,000 bond, Pinder is scheduled for arraignment on September 24.

Charges against the men include felony counts of hazing with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, and attempted manslaughter. Miami-Dade County’s state attorney’s office disclosed that police found evidence of prolonged beatings using canes and paddles. Court documents reveal harrowing details of the injuries, which were severe. A University of Miami graduate student and another young man sustained injuries that could have been fatal without intervention.

Katherine Fernandez Rundle, the state attorney, emphasized the criminal nature of hazing, highlighting its potential to cause grave harm. Pinder’s attorney, Justin Beckham, did not respond to inquiries. Court records do not list attorneys for the other accused men.

Pinder has served as a Secret Service agent since 2023. The Miami field office stated any misconduct would be dealt with promptly. Kappa Alpha Psi did not respond to commentary requests.

According to the arrest warrant for Pinder, the victims endured sessions of paddling over four nights after failing fraternity-related questions. The beatings ceased when severe bleeding occurred after the fourth night. Victims were instructed to dispose of their blood-soaked clothes.

One victim had severe vomiting, fever, and pain, requiring hospitalization for skin grafts and kidney treatment. Police asserted these injuries could have resulted in death without medical care. The second victim confirmed knowing the first through the fraternity, but denied being paddled despite receiving emergency care. Medical records indicated hospitalization with backside injuries that necessitated intubation to prevent deterioration.

Florida law classifies hazing as a felony, carrying a prison sentence of up to five years if it results in severe injury or death. The law emerged following the 2001 death of a University of Miami student, Chad Meredith, who drowned during a fraternity event.

Additional reporting by Bynum from Savannah, Georgia.