Key facts
- A U.S. Secret Service agent, Marquez Christopher Pinder, and two others, Jared Lamar James and Elijah Delano Dyous, were arrested in Miami.
- Investigators allege the suspects engaged in prolonged hazing incidents involving beatings with canes and paddles.
- Two victims sustained severe injuries, including kidney damage and requiring skin grafts, with one needing a breathing tube.
- The accused face felony charges including attempted manslaughter, aggravated battery, and hazing with a deadly weapon.
- The alleged hazing occurred over several days in April, reportedly related to fraternity initiation rites.
- Pinder is assigned to the Secret Service's Miami field office and was employed by the service in 2023.
A U.S. Secret Service agent, Marquez Christopher Pinder, along with two other individuals, Jared Lamar James and Elijah Delano Dyous, have been arrested in Miami following an investigation into alleged hazing incidents. State investigators uncovered evidence suggesting prolonged and repeated beatings with canes and paddles, purportedly as part of a fraternity hazing ritual in April.
The alleged incidents left two victims hospitalized with severe injuries. One victim required skin grafts and suffered kidney damage, while the other needed a breathing tube and experienced significant physical deterioration. Court documents indicate that the injuries sustained by the victims could have been fatal if not for prompt medical treatment.
Pinder, James, and Dyous face multiple felony charges, including hazing with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with great bodily harm, and attempted manslaughter. Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle stated that hazing is considered abuse and a crime in Florida, referencing past hazing-related deaths in the state.
According to the Miami Herald, the accused men allegedly conducted the beatings after the victims failed to answer questions correctly related to their initiation into the Miami chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, a historically Black fraternity. Pinder served as the "dean of pledges" for the chapter. The alleged hazing began on April 1 and continued for several days at different locations.
Pinder, who graduated from Florida International University in 2021 and was assigned to the Secret Service's Miami field office, was first employed by the service in 2023. His attorney described the charges as "grossly overcharged." A spokesperson for the Secret Service confirmed that any misconduct would be addressed appropriately after the investigation and judicial process are completed.