A city court judge on Friday did not grant bail to a former Syracuse University student living in Alpha Chi Rho, who was arrested on several felony and misdemeanor drug charges.

Syracuse police arrested Patrick Jackson, 23, on Thursday after executing a search warrant at AXP. The warrant was the result of a narcotics investigation, police said, and 4.23 ounces of cocaine; 15.6 grams of marijuana; and $5,560 were found and seized in Jackson’s room.

Jackson was arraigned at about 10:45 a.m. in Syracuse City Court. Jackson pled not guilty.

After the judge did not grant bail, Jackson’s mother, Victoria Jackson, rushed to the front of the courtroom. In tears, she begged the judge to grant bail.

“Can you please give him bail? I don’t know what happened, this is such a surprise, please, he’s a good kid,” Victoria Jackson said.

City Court Judge Vanessa Bogan said because the charges are so serious, the court doesn’t have jurisdiction with setting bail. His bail argument will be next Wednesday.

In an interview after the arraignment, Victoria Jackson said she had mixed emotions of anger, disbelief and fear.

She said she drove five hours from Connecticut and saw her son at 3 a.m. Victoria Jackson said he told her: “I can’t believe it; I can’t believe how dumb I was.”

Victoria Jackson said her son is no longer a student, but was staying at the fraternity house for a girlfriend. She said the $5,560 that was seized at AXP was not drug money. This was money she had given him after a wakeboarding accident.

She said “never in her wildest dreams did I think this would happen,” adding she’s afraid one decision her son made will affect the rest of his life.

“He’s the sweetest guy, he’s a smart guy, he’s just a little bit of a lost soul,” Victoria Jackson said.

Eddie Banks-Crosson, director of fraternity and sorority affairs, was not in his office. A message sent to his email resulted in an automatic reply that he was out of town.

Debbie Manobianco, Alpha Chi Rho’s staff adviser, declined to talk about the arrest.

A message left with Alpha Chi Rho Fraternity Inc. early Friday was not immediately returned.

Patrick Jackson was assigned counsel, but asked for the right to hire his own attorney. His next court date is Oct. 2.

Published on September 27, 2013 at 12:25 pm

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