Alpha Tau Omega fraternity was ordered to pay $1,200 in fines yesterday after pleading guilty to a charge of unlawful acts related to liquor after a Jan. 13 assault that allegedly took place outside of the fraternity.

A more serious charge of furnishing alcohol to minors was dropped as part of a plea agreement between the fraternity and the prosecution.

Two individuals allegedly involved in the assault, neither of whom are members of the fraternity, were bound over for trial on charges of simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct at Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte.

Matt Groetsch, 22, and Penn State student Ryan Gray, 19, are both scheduled for a May 27 pretrial conference. Jury selection in their cases is scheduled for June 14. Gray was bound over for trial on March 3, while Groetsch was bound over yesterday by District Justice Bradley Lunsford.

According to court documents, the victim of the Jan. 13 assault suffered a fractured cheek bone in the altercation after two men approached the victim and accused him of inappropriately touching a woman at the party.

The men who approached the victim identified themselves as the woman's brother and boyfriend, who was later identified as Groetsch. After an argument, the victim left the fraternity house, 321 E. Fairmount Ave., at which point several people, including Gray and Groetsch, allegedly attacked him.

The fraternity was charged after the victim, who is under 21, told police he had been served several cans of beer while inside the fraternity house.

"We were happy with the district attorney's offer and accepted it," Paul Verduci, Alpha Tau Omega's lawyer, said. "We felt the matter needed to be resolved, and this was an acceptable way to resolve it."

Interfraternity Council President (IFC) Andy Hackett said the IFC had postponed its investigation because of an agreement between the IFC and the police department.

"We agreed to give the police the space needed to complete their investigation," Hackett said. "At this point, we are going to open our investigation and should have it underway within the next 14 days."

Alpha Tau Omega President Dave Stolzenberg refused to comment on the plea agreement yesterday.