Illegal Parties Popping Up

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LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- As the weekend gets closer, we’re sure to see more illegal parties popping up. It’s a problem we’ve been seeing more and more of.
They call them “pay parties”. People claiming to have a party, charging admission and allowing kids access to beer,booze and even drugs. Teenagers as young as 14 have been caught at these so called parties.

“The un-supervision of underage kids, that’s the biggest thing.. When you enhance their decision making with alcohol and drugs and you’re promoting these acts that are not good, you’re enhancing the possibility of something tragic happening,” says Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson

Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson says they’ve been seeing more of these pay parties being promoted on social media, parents need to be more aware of what their children are doing on the internet.

“You know social media is used a lot for criminal activity… a lot of our narcotics arrests as I’ve said before are promoted as a legitimate event but if you read into it, and you know exactly what you’re looking for you can see where it’s absolutely nothing but a drug promoted place to go and sell drugs,” added Sheriff Johnson.

A recent private party shut down by authorities confiscated kegs of beer and several bottles of liquor at the scene. One parent says she’s concerned about her children going to un-supervised parties.

“It effects our young children and it introduces them to something that they shouldn’t be involved in at all… If your child is going to spend the night or either going to a party, check out the surrounding environment before you actually let them go,” said parent Jennifer Garner.

Minors caught drinking could get their license suspended or even be arrested. And adults giving kids alcohol could be faced with felony charges.

According to SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) almost 75 percent of kids have consumed alcohol by the end of high school and 37 percent by 8th grade.