4 plead guilty to manslaughter in fraternity hazing death

FILE – In this Oct. 22, 2015, file photo, Sheldon Wong leaves court after being arraigned on murder charges in Pocono Pines, Pa. Wong and three others charged in connection with a fraternity hazing ritual that killed Chun “Michael” Deng, a student at Baruch College in New York City, were scheduled to plead guilty Monday, May 15, 2017, to unspecified charges. Police say in December 2013, Pi Delta Psi fraternity members physically abused Deng, then tried to cover it up as the 19-year-old lay dying in their rented house in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, about 100 miles west of New York. (Amy Herzog/Pocono Record via AP, File)

STROUDSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Four men charged in a brutal fraternity hazing ritual that resulted in the 2013 death of a New York City college student have pleaded guilty in a Pennsylvania court to voluntary manslaughter.

Fraternity members at Pi Delta Psi physically abused Chun “Michael” Deng, a Baruch (buh-ROOK’) College student. They then tried to cover it up as the 19-year-old lay dying in their rented house in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, about 100 miles west of New York.

Defense attorneys had called Deng’s death a fraternity prank gone horribly awry.

The four defendants, Kenny Kwan, Charles Lai, Raymond Lam and Sheldon Wong, also pleaded guilty Monday to hindering apprehension. Wong did not participate in the assault but helped organize the hazing.

The typical sentence range for voluntary manslaughter is 22 to 36 months.