Daggett County Sheriff Erik Bailey has a serious message for the community shared in this month’s Daggett County newsletter. “It has been reported that there is a group of teens, all of which attend Manila High School, that have been drinking and binge drinking alcohol,” shares Sheriff Bailey. “…There may have been a time when it was considered ‘okay’ to allow a teen to drink in their own home, with a parent or guardian. This is not okay and is against the law…The other way that has been reported is that teens are obtaining alcohol in our area through burglary. Please remember that burglary is a second degree felony and is punishable by up to 1 to 15 years in prison and up to a $10,000 dollar fine. Reports state that several teens are breaking into summer homes to obtain the alcohol they are consuming. This could be very dangerous if the homeowner were home at the time of the burglary, which could result in a confrontation causing serious injury or death. I bring this to your attention, not to point fingers or make accusations,” emphasizes Sheriff Bailey, “but to enlighten parents as to a growing problem in our community which some say is at epidemic proportions. It has also been said that these teens are driving while under the influence of alcohol. I do not want to have to tell a parent that their child has died from an alcohol related incident. With your help and awareness we can curb this issue and keep our children and community safe.” Questions or concerns can be sent to ebailey@daggettcounty.org or by calling the Sheriff’s Office at 435-784-3255.
