Man Charged After Underage Party Busted In S. St. Paul
SOUTH ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – A 54-year-old South St. Paul man is accused of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in connection with a party involving underage drinking that happened at a house in South St. Paul on Oct. 22, according to charges filed Friday in Dakota County Court.
Darrel Robert Lawson was charged with one gross misdemeanor count in connection with the incident.
According to a criminal complaint, Inver Grove Heights Police were called to a gas station on Oct. 22 on a report of an assault and robbery at a party in South St. Paul.
When authorities arrived, the victim told police that a black male had punched him and stolen his cell phone while they were at a party on the 600 block of 2nd Avenue in South St. Paul. The victim led police to the house, where several juveniles ran to the back yard when they arrived as alcohol was all over the house.
A juvenile female tried to prevent police from entering, then after police got in, she came at the officer in an aggressive manor, the complaint states. After a struggle, the female retreated to a back bedroom in the house. The officer followed her and eventually spotted Lawson sitting on the edge of the bed with his pants at his thighs.
Lawson told police he stays at the house with his girlfriend, who is the mother of the juvenile female and said he can't control the girl. Nine juveniles were cited for underage consumption of alcohol.
Additional authorities were also called in after another juvenile female was found unresponsive in the basement, lying in red vomit.
The juvenile female who got aggressive with authorities was arrested for underage consumption and assaulting a police officer. Lawson faces up to a year in jail and a $3,000 fine for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
