Villanova will decide fate of Linc vandals

Five Villanova University freshmen who vandalized Lincoln Financial Field as part of a fraternity prank last spring must pay restitution of $800 each and perform 100 hours of community service under an agreement, an attorney for one of the teens said today.

The teens - William Clarke, 19, of Short Hills, N.J.; Taylor Halstead, 19, of Manchester, Mass.; Dylan Carroll, 18, of Pelham, N.Y.; Mark Ioannidis, 18, of Brookhaven; and Daniel Papa, 18, of Andover, Md. - will have the charges dismissed and their records expunged under the agreement if they stay out of trouble for the next year.

They each also must pay $1,000 into a crime victims' compensation fund.

The teens were formally placed in the accelerated rehabilitative disposition program (ARD) during a court proceeding yesterday, lawyer Theodore Simon said. ARD does not require the entry of a plea and does not result in a conviction, Simon noted.

"These unfortunate events were a result of a certain amount of unbridled, misdirected judgments largely connected with a fraternity prank," said Simon, explaining that the stunt was part of a pledging activity. "All of the individuals are absolutely and sincerely apologetic and are pleased and grateful with the result that has been achieved."

The teens broke into the football stadium overnight in mid-April and attempted to swipe a seat with an Eagles logo on the back and a five-foot sign from a souvenir stand. They were spotted by security guards on surveillance cameras and nabbed.

All the students hope to return to Villanova but are awaiting a decision from the university, Simon said.

"I think everyone realized these otherwise upstanding young men were deserving of a second chance and should have the opportunity to avoid a permanent blemish. We're hopeful that Villanova demonstrates a similar view," Simon said.

Villanova officials said today that the students' fate had not yet been decided. The university delayed review of the students' case until the criminal proceedings were completed, spokesman Jonathan Gust said.

"We're going to try to move forward as quickly and thoroughly as we can with the process," he said.

The students were pledging the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, which has been at Villanova since 1990.

The university's review includes the fraternity, which could face sanctions, Gust said.

Phi Gamma Delta, International Fraternity, based in Kentucky, also is looking into the matter, said Bill Martin, executive director. The organization became aware of the incident shortly after the arrests, he said.

"If there is chapter culpability, we will take action," he said.

Contact staff writer Susan Snyder at 215-854-4693 or ssnyder@phillynews.com.