SWEETWATER — Marquez Christopher Pinder, 29, appeared in bond court before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy S. Glazer on Monday, July 27, 2026, facing charges of attempted manslaughter with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and hazing with a deadly weapon. Pinder is a U.S. Secret Service agent based in the Miami field office who has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The charges stem from an alleged violent initiation ritual that authorities say occurred over several days in April 2026. The alleged hazing began on April 1, 2026, at an apartment in Sweetwater, Florida, located at 400 SW 107 Avenue. The activity continued on April 2 and April 3, 2026, at the same Sweetwater apartment, before moving to a residence at 10277 SW 183rd Street in unincorporated Miami-Dade County on April 4, 2026.

An arrest warrant describes Pinder as the “dean of pledges” for the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at the University of Miami. The alleged hazing incidents involved prolonged and repeated beatings with canes and paddles. Victims were subjected to these beatings for failing to correctly answer questions about the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and its history. During the ritual, the victims were made to sit in a half squat with one arm pointed forward while being struck with paddles.

The physical toll on the victims was severe. Victim 1, a law student and former undergraduate at the University of Miami, suffered kidney failure as a result of the alleged beatings. He also required extensive skin grafts to his backside due to necrotic skin tissue caused by the trauma. An arrest warrant stated that had “Victim 1” not received necessary emergency medical care, his injuries would have resulted in renal failure leading to death.

A second victim also sustained significant injuries during the incident. Victim 2, a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue employee, was intubated during his hospital stay to prevent further physical deterioration and death. Victim 2 told investigators he was not a hazing victim but admitted to seeking medical care for injuries to his backside in April. The beatings reportedly stopped when one of the victims bled through his underwear and pants, at which point fraternity leaders ordered the victims to dispose of their clothes in a garbage bag and go home.

Michael Townsend, the Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service’s Miami field office, addressed the agency's response to the charges. "The Secret Service is fully cooperating with the investigation," Townsend said. He added that any misconduct will be addressed swiftly and appropriately upon completion of the investigative and judicial process.

Kappa Alpha Psi National President Jimmy McMikle issued a statement distancing the national organization from the individuals involved. "Kappa Alpha Psi is a non-hazing fraternity. We neither condone nor tolerate acts of hazing behavior within our organization or from our membership," McMikle said. He stated that the individuals involved do not have an official affiliation with any chapter nor any official role with the organization.

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle emphasized the severity of the charges under state law. "In Florida, hazing is abuse and it is a crime," Rundle said. She noted that its victims too often lie in their graves and in hospital beds.

Pinder was granted a $75,000 bond during his July 27 appearance. Judge Glazer ordered Pinder to stay at least 500 feet away from the alleged victims' homes, schools, and places of employment. He faces arraignment before a judge on September 24, 2026.

The Secret Service, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, and Sweetwater Police investigated the incidents. Detectives involved in the case include Kevin Espinosa of the Sweetwater Police Department and Alejandro Venturin of the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office. Justin Beckham serves as an attorney for Pinder.

The case shows the intersection of federal law enforcement employment and state criminal proceedings, as Pinder has worked as a Secret Service agent since 2023. The charges also invoke Florida's strict hazing laws, which were strengthened in response to previous tragedies at the same university. Florida lawmakers made hazing a felony punishable by up to five years in prison if it results in serious injury or death in 2005.

This legislative change was spurred by the 2001 death of Chad Meredith, a University of Miami freshman. Meredith drowned after drinking alcohol and attempting to swim across a lake at the urging of campus fraternity leaders. The events in the current case, spanning from 2001 to 2026, illustrate the long-standing scrutiny of fraternity initiations in the region. Pinder's status as a federal agent adds a layer of institutional accountability to the state-level criminal process.