Five Youths Charged With Underage Drinking

As a police crackdown on underage drinking began last weekend, Newtown police charged five youths with alcohol offenses.

With the coming of warm weather and more outdoor gatherings, police have begun a special enforcement project to curb underage drinking in public and private settings.

Police conduct surveillance at various locations throughout town to stem underage drinking. Such work involves watching for violations at establishments that sell alcohol, as well as monitoring activity at settings where underage alcohol consumption has occurred in the past. Such areas include public parks, private parking lots, and isolated byways. The police initiative to curb underage drinking follows a recent police effort to more strictly enforce drug laws.

A recent town ordinance expands the police’s ability to enforce underage drinking violations. Enforcement will reach beyond public property, which is governed by state law. The town ordinance provides police with certain powers to enforce violations that occur on private property. In such cases, underage youths found to be illegally in possession of alcohol on private property may be issued a town infraction, which carries a $92 fine.

Police report they charged three underage youths with offenses about 9:40 pm on April 30 in the parking lot of Newtown Shopping Village at 6 Queen Street.

Police said they spotted the three youths in a parked vehicle and investigated. Police charged Andrea Ragot, 18, of 39 The Boulevard with possession of alcohol by a minor, possession of less than four ounces of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police said that a smoking pipe possessed by Ragot tested positive for marijuana.

Also, police charged Brian McDonald, 18, of 21 Hi Barlow Road, and Richard Watson, 19, of Brookfield, each with possession of alcohol by a minor.

All three youths have May 13 appearance dates in Danbury Superior Court, police said.

Late on the afternoon of May 1, police were dispatched to the River Edge Drive area on a report of youths carrying alcohol into a wooded area.

Police located the youths and charged Matthew Cabral, 16, of 59 Mile Hill Road South with possession of alcohol by a minor.

Police also charged a 15-year-old with possession of drug paraphernalia and with possession of alcohol by a minor. Because the youth is under 16, police did not disclose his or her name.

Both youths were turned over to their mothers, police said. Cabral is scheduled to appear May 13 in Danbury Superior Court. The juvenile is scheduled to appear May 10 in Danbury Juvenile Court.