Prosecutors drop charges against University of Iowa FIJI frat member

IOWA CITY — A prosecutor on Friday dismissed a criminal charge against one of the University of Iowa fraternity members who was sued by a woman for alleged sexual abuse in 2020.

A charge of first-degree harassment was dropped against Carson Steffen, 23, a member of the UI Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.

The action came two days after Makena Solberg announced that she had settled her lawsuit against Steffen and other members of the fraternity, the UI chapter of Phi Gamma Delta – FIJI – and its national affiliates.

Johnson County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith said the dismissal was based on the written request from the victim – Solberg – through her civil attorney.

“Given the potential impact of information regarding the resolution” of the lawsuit on the criminal proceedings, the prosecutor is dismissing the case, Zimmerman Smith said.

The files contain no further information about the dismissal.

The harassment charge stemmed from allegations Solberg alleged in the lawsuit. Steffen was accused of sharing a photo with several people on Snapchat of a woman engaging in sexual acts without her consent.

Lawsuit settled

Solberg’s lawyers at Ball, Kirk and Holm said in a statement Wednesday that Solberg has settled her lawsuit against all defendants — her two alleged attackers, Carson Steffen and Jacob Meloan, the UI chapter of Phi Gamma Delta, and the national Fijian organization Phi Gamma. Delta Educational Foundation, Mu Deuteron Alumni Association of Phi Gamma Delta and Mu Deuteron Chapter House Corp.

The law firm said it could not discuss the details of each settlement.

“However, the 23-year-old Tippie College of Business Finance graduate says she is glad she chose to stand up for herself in the legal system,” the statement said.

“It wasn’t easy, but I had a strong support system of people who supported me; and it was important that I kept pushing even when things were hard,” Solberg said in a statement. “What was done to me should not happen to anyone. Ever. Every student should have the opportunity to go out, socialize at university and feel safe.”

A notice of settlement with Steffen was filed with the court on Thursday, according to a court document.

Additionally, Solberg reached a resolution through mediation with the UI chapter of Phi Gamma Delta – which calls itself FIJI – and the national Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation, according to the law firm’s press release. She also reached a resolution in August through mediation with the Mu Deuteron Alumni Association of Phi Gamma Delta and Mu Deuteron Chapter House Corp.

The law firm said she also agreed to a settlement with Meloan in September.

Accusations

According to her lawsuit, Solberg said she was drugged, isolated in a room and attacked on September 5, 2020, by Steffen and Meloan, who recorded it and distributed photos and video to the FIJI brothers in an online chat.

Although Solberg reported the incident to Iowa City police, authorities initially did not file charges. She made the incident public on social media in the fall of 2021.

It was that publicity – and thus the online petitions and Facebook posts – that sparked a large and violent protest in September 2021, damaging the FIJI House and forcing its residents to move.

Fifteen months after the alleged assault — and weeks after the protests — Iowa City police arrested Steffen on charges of first-degree harassment. His trial was scheduled for December.

Meloan was not charged.

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