Hunter
08/24/22
A retired University of Iowa music professor has been indicted on federal charges of distributing meth that resulted in a death and of possessing child porn.
The Gazette reports that 65-year-old John Muriello of Iowa City allegedly bought drugs from a supplier in California and sold it to 49-year-old Eric Hojka on a regular basis. Hojka in turn provided it to a person who injected it and died in May 2021. An autopsy found the victim died from meth intoxication.
Both Hojka and Muriello had obtained ice meth on multiple occasions from the California supplier, communicating with the supplier by phone and through Zoom. The supplier was investigated in July 2021 on an unrelated matter and learned that they had been mailing packages to Muriello, as well as some to Hojka, beginning in 2020.
Muriello was already under investigation after the U of I received an anonymous email in April 2020 from a reported parent of a freshman student and said he attended a party at Muriello’s home. Partygoers were allegedly provided with the “date rape” drug so that Muriello could have sex with them, recorded sex acts , and possessed an extensive child pornography collection on multiple devices at the home.
Iowa City police obtained a search warrant on May 28th 2021 and seized a number of laptops, cellphones, external computer drives and packages containing meth.
One of the hard drives was password protected but was opened by investigators. There they reportedly found over 18,500 photos and nearly 3200 videos. Nearly all of them were pornographic, and about 12,000 files featured minor boys. Chats recovered on Muriello’s devices reportedly were associated with drug use and distribution of child pornography.
Investigators interviewed a “cooperating defendant” who said Muriello told him he bought meth from California and had provided some to Eric Hojka, who gave it to a man who was visiting from Las Vegas that overdosed and died.
The Gazette learned that Muriello was placed on leave by the UI in May 2021 and he retired this July 1st. He is listed on the university’s website as an emeritus professor of voice and opera. Emeritus status is an automatic status given to retirees who have served a significant amount of time. However, UI spokesperson Jeneane Beck said that status can be revoked for good cause.
Muriello is in Muscatine County Jail being held without bond, with a trial date of December 5th in Davenport.