Alcohol party results in jail time

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October 14, 2009

By LOHR McKINSTRY The Press Republican Wed Oct 14, 2009, 11:35 PM EDT

TICONDEROGA — The parents who hosted a drinking party where two teenagers allegedly passed out will spend weekends in jail for four months.

Anthony O'Hara, 40, and Marie O'Hara, 39, both of Chilson, were each sentenced Wednesday to four months of weekends in Essex County Jail.

They will report Friday, Oct. 16, to begin serving their sentence; it will end with the weekend of Jan. 15, 2010.

Ticonderoga Town Justice Keith Dolbeck also ordered the couple to pay a $500 fine or do 50 hours of community service. Following their jail term, they will be on probation for three years.

Mr. O'Hara was convicted of 10 counts of unlawfully dealing with a child and 11 counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Mrs. O'Hara was found guilty of 10 counts of unlawfully dealing with a child.

In October 2008, Ticonderoga Town Police raided the O'Hara home on Putts Pond Road in Ticonderoga's Chilson hamlet, where they said they found a dozen teenagers drinking alcoholic beverages.

The O'Haras were allegedly hosting the party, from which two youths, 14- and 15-year-old boys, were taken to Moses-Ludington Hospital for treatment of alcohol poisoning. One teen had passed out on the floor, police said, and the other was semi-conscious.

Police said they had received Essex County Tipline calls that the party would be taking place.

District Attorney Julie Garcia said her office will continue to recommend incarceration in such cases.

"Alcohol kills more kids than all other illegal drugs combined. We'll continue to treat these as serious offenses. We'll prosecute them aggressively."

A Ticonderoga Town Court jury deliberated for about an hour in July before finding the O'Haras guilty of most charges.

The Essex County Tipline number is 873-2133.

E-mail Lohr McKinstry at: lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com