Pandemic party nets 22 arrests

By ANDREW MCGINN

a.mcginn@beeherald.com

Effective 12:01 a.m. June 1, underage beer parties of more than 10 people will no longer run afoul of the Iowa Department of Public Health, provided the host limits capacity to 50 percent and ensures six feet of distance between partygoers.

Of course, it’ll still be a crime to provide alcohol to anyone underage.

A 38-year-old Rippey woman late Friday became at least the second Greene County adult in as many months to be charged with a department of public health violation for allegedly hosting a party full of underage drinkers during the pandemic.

Charity Snavely was arrested on additional charges of supplying alcohol to person under legal age and permitting under 18 to consume alcohol on property.

Greene County Sheriff Jack Williams and deputies responded shortly before midnight Friday to the report of an underage party in the 500 block of 3rd Street in Rippey.

In all, 10 juveniles were charged with possession of alcohol underage. Eleven partygoers, 18 and older, were also arrested.

All 21 were charged with department of public health violations for not adhering to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ months-old ban on social gatherings — a ban she lifted Tuesday, effective June 1.

Reynolds on Tuesday also OK’d the reopening of bars and social clubs effective May 28, and casinos, bowling alleys, skating rinks and playgrounds as of June 1.

Those 18 and older arrested late Friday in Rippey included:

• Fallon Heater, 18, of Perry; department of public health violation, possession of alcohol underage. 

• Conner Embrey, 21, of Rippey; department of public health violation.

• Angel Rivera, 18, of Perry; department of public health violation, possession of alcohol underage.

• Jonathan Silva, 18, of Perry; department of public health violation and possession of alcohol underage.

• Quincy Carey, 18, of Rippey; possession of alcohol underage and a department of public health violation.

• Marco Ortiz-Navarijo, 18, of Perry; possession of alcohol underage and a department of public health violation.

• Marvin Sarceno, 18, of Perry; possession of alcohol underage and a department of public health violation.

• Brando Burgos, 20, of Perry; possession of alcohol underage and a department of public health violation.

• Mahammed Belarbi, 18, of Perry; possession of alcohol underage and a department of public health violation.

• Arnold Ayala-Gomez, 18, of Perry; possession of alcohol underage and a department of public health violation.

• Nathaniel Pemberton, 21, of Des Moines; department of public health violation.

Greene County Attorney Thomas Laehn said this week that violation of the state order banning gatherings of more than 10 people is a simple misdemeanor.

Punishment carries a maximum fine of $625, along with a possible jail sentence of up to 30 days.

The party’s sheer proximity to Dallas County — and the attendance of Perry residents — also probably isn’t insignificant.

Dallas County has recorded 872 positive cases of COVID-19 and 17 deaths. Greene County, by contrast, has recorded 13 cases by the state’s count (14 by Greene County Public Health’s count), but no deaths.

Greene County made news statewide in early April when deputies crashed a rented farmstead northwest of Paton, where they found around 60 people, many of them underage, partying inside a two-car garage.

Host Riley Rittgers, 23, of Paton, was cited then for providing alcohol to minors. Warrants were later issued for Rittgers on additional charges of permitting under age 18 persons to consume alcohol and a department of public health violation.

When deputies in April informed his guests of Reynolds’ ban on all gatherings of more than 10 people in hopes of mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in Iowa, “They’d never even heard of it,” Williams said.

Individuals who lack symptoms of COVID-19 can still transmit the novel coronavirus to others, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.