What started as a “fraternity prank” early Sunday morning has left three men charged by Martin Police Department with aggravated burglary and theft of property. The director of Greek Life and a fraternity president have both released statements commenting on the incident.

At 3:30 a.m., on Feb. 5, the Martin Police responded to a call at the Phi Sigma Kappa “Phi Sig” Fraternity house on Hurt Street in Martin. When police arrived on scene, they were told by one of the Phi Sig members that five individuals entered his fraternity house to take items from the residence.

The witness told police that the five men said they were there to recover items that had allegedly been taken from the Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity house.

The Phi Sig member said that the men had taken a composite picture from the house that was valued around $750. The police report indicates that the men also attempted to take a shop vac from the fraternity house.

Martin police officers Lt. Jason Arant and patrolman Thomas Pollock went to the ATO fraternity house to follow up on the incident. They took the Phi Sig witness with them so that he could identify any of those that were involved.

While at the ATO house, Lt. Arant was advised by the witness that ATO member Jeremy Bragg, 23, of Jackson, Tenn., was one of the ones involved in stealing the composite. Lt. Arant could detect a strong odor of alcohol about Bragg’s person. When asked to provide identification of who he was, Bragg said he did not have any identification on him and he refused to tell officers who he was. Bragg denied having any involvement in the burglary and said that he was at the ATO house all night.

According to the police report, Bragg was not cooperative while officers were trying to interview him. Bragg tried to walk away from the officers and into the ATO house several times.

The report also states that Bragg was continually argumentative and disorderly and that he also refused to obey officers’ directions. Two other men were later identified to be involved in the burglary. Those men were Brian Jones, 19, of Milan, Tenn., and Horace Drennan, 20, of Bartlett, Tenn.

Bragg was arrested and transported to the Weakley County Detention Center that morning on charges of aggravated burglary, theft of property, public intoxication, disorderly conduct and giving officers false reports.

Jones and Drennan were both cooperative with the police and were not transported to the Weakley County Detention Center. They were given a criminal summons to appear before the court on charges of aggravated burglary and theft of property.

Two other members of the ATO fraternity were identified as being present at the Phi Sig house at the time of the incident but no charges have been brought against them.

Captain Scott Robins of the Martin Police Department told The Pacer that there are no reports on file of members of the Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity having taken any items from the ATO house.

Robins was also very quick to mention that many of these types of incidents go unreported and that just becasue nothing is on file doesn’t mean that nothing happened.

“This looks like a fraternity prank that was taken too seriously. I am sure this happens a lot more often than we hear about,” Robins said.

ATO Fraternity President Richard Hines told The Pacer that Drennan returned the composite to the Phi Sig house. Hines also said that these charges have nothing to do with the fraternity as a whole.

“These individuals were acting on their own. ATO does not condone this behavior. Even though these individuals intended for their actions to be a prank, the unfortunate incident escalated when the police got involved,” Hines said. The ATO chapter will also be handling the situation with those men involved.

“These individuals involved will be brought before our judiciary board and proper actions will be taken. ATO emphasizes strong character in our members and does not want this incident to reflect on the whole chapter,” Hines told The Pacer.

Director of Greek Life, Louis Ragsdale, said that the fraternities have worked with one another in many areas and that this is just a prank that he believes has been tkaen too far.

“The IFC fraternities have worked well together within the past year when it comes to community service, risk management, improving their scholastics and especially interfraternal relations,” Ragsdale said. “This, in my opinion, is a fraternity prank that has been blown out of proportion.”

Like Hines, Ragsdale also said that his office will be investigating the incident that occurred. “In no way do we condone these actions. The Office of Greek Life will hold these individuals accountable,” Ragsdale said.

All three of the men were arraigned before the Weakley County General Sessions Court on Monday, Feb. 7. At press time, no information was available in regards to the arraignment or as to when the court date will be set.