WESTMINSTER, Md. — Last night in Westminster, a tip brought Maryland State Police to an illegal party involving underage teens at the Boston Inn on Route 140.
“Three state police cars and just a hall full of young adults… well I should say… kids. Kids, I would say,” said Doug Malinowski who is staying in a nearby room.
“Did you wonder what was going on when you can’t have that many people together?” we asked.
“Yes, I wondered, and I figured they were having an away party,” he replied.
When investigators entered the room, they discovered several underage youths, male and female, ages 15-to-17, hiding in a bathroom and an empty liquor bottle in the room.
26-year-old Ryan Serra of Lutherville admitted he staged the party and purchased the alcohol even though he knew some of the participants were minors.
He’s being charged with violating the governor‘s executive order and with 10 counts of allowing a minor to possess alcohol.
Since the ban on crowds of 10 or more went into effect less than a week ago, state police have fielded nearly 400 calls for potential violations and 5,000 more for businesses, which were supposed to close, adding to troopers’ regular duties.
“Responding to accidents, responding to crimes, responding to things that troopers in law enforcement respond to on a daily basis. This is something that’s in addition to our already normal job responsibilities,” said Ron Snyder of the Maryland State Police.
The penalty for violating the congregation order is up to a year in prison and/or up to a $5,000 fine.
