PORT TOWNSEND — Charges alleging underage drinking have been filed in Jefferson County District Court following a May 31 post-prom party.
No decision has been made about charges against the adult owners of the Sutter Street residence where the party occurred.
The Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will decide if charges will be filed against the two adults, who were reported to have been at the house at the time of the party.
Mike Haas, Jefferson County prosecuting attorney, plans to refer the case to Mark Nichols, Clallam’s chief prosecutor, on Monday because of a potential conflict of interest.
One of the adults is “a contract employee for Jefferson County Juvenile Probation,” Haas said.
“It is just one of those things where my deputies and I know this person relatively well, and it is not something that we feel comfortable handling.”
Nichols “has graciously agreed to allow us to use one of his deputies as a special deputy prosecutor,” Haas said.
Haas did not identify the two adults because they have not been charged.
The teens charged with minor in possession of alcohol have not been identified because of their age.
A dozen of the cases in which charges have been filed involve juveniles younger than 18.
The rest are for people older than 18 but younger than 21, the legal drinking age.
Deputies arrived at a house in the 200 block of Sutter Street just outside the city limits at about 1 a.m. the morning after the Port Townsend High School prom after receiving a complaint from a neighbor about excessive noise, Detective Brett Anglin of the county Sheriff’s Office has said.
Deputies questioned all those present and issued about 30 citations for minor in possession, they said.
While those cited who were between 18 and 20 years old were charged in District Court, those 17 or younger are now subject to the diversion program at Jefferson County Juvenile and Family Court Services.
Diversion is for first-time juvenile offenders.
The diversion unit, made up of a program manager and volunteers, determines the terms and conditions of a diversion agreement that can involve community work, fines, restitution, educational classes, counseling or other interventions.
When offenders successfully complete the conditions of agreements, the offenses are wiped from their records.
The terms and conditions will be tailor-made for each child, Haas said.
The court is “not trying to brand the kid,” he said.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
