Second former Beta Theta Pi fraternity brother pleads guilty in Penn State hazing case

A second former Beta Theta Pi fraternity brother entered an open guilty plea on Wednesday to charges stemming from the investigation into Timothy Piazza’s death.

Joseph Ems Jr. gave 19-year-old pledge Thaddeus Lorenz a bottle of Burnett’s pink lemonade vodka in the basement of the fraternity house. He pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of hazing and one misdemeanor count of furnishing alcohol to a minor.

The charges are not related to Piazza, according to the information filed by the Office of the Attorney General.

The 22-year-old from Philadelphia is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Brian Marshall on Sept. 27.

Marshall — the judge assigned to all non-trial matters — sentenced “rush chair” Ryan Burke to three months of house arrest, 27 months of probation, 100 hours of community service and fined him more than $3,000 on July 31.

Burke pleaded guilty to nine charges — including four misdemeanor counts of hazing — on June 13. One of the four hazing charges was associated with Lorenz and Marshall ultimately sentenced Burke to 12 months of probation and at least a $200 fine for the charge.

Jay Abom, one of Ems’ two attorneys, declined to comment after Wednesday’s court appearance.

This story was originally published August 8, 2018 at 1:42 PM.