A Homer City police officer is under investigation for allegedly providing alcohol to underage drinkers at a party last month in Indiana Borough.

A criminal complaint was filed today against Ethan Sorbin-Randolph, 21, charging him with providing alcohol to an already drunk person, providing beer to minors and intimidation of a witness.

The complaint said Officer Sorbin-Randolph had been inside the residence where a party was being held Jan. 23 on South Fisher Avenue in Indiana.

A patrolling borough police officer saw what appeared to be an attempted break-in. The suspect, upon the officer's approach, bolted inside the residence and locked the door.

Witnesses inside the residence later told police Officer Sorbin-Randolph advised them to be quiet and wait for police to leave. He and the party host, Eric Skedel, told the guests police could not enter the house without a search warrant.

The officer outside, after calling for backup, obtained the search warrant.

Inside, witnesses said, the basement door had been padlocked with several teens downstairs. From the basement police confiscated two kegs of beer.

Several of the party goers were underage, and they told police they had been drinking beer given to them by Officer Sorbin-Randolph.

A teenage girl, who said she once dated Officer Sorbin-Randolph, told investigators that he gave her beer and he knew she was not old enough to drink legally.

She said the suspect telephoned her to advise her to tell police he had been at the party for a short time and that she "better say nothing."

Officer Sorbin-Randolph is to be arraigned before District Judge Guy B. Haberl on the charges, all misdemeanor counts.

Officials in Homer City, where Officer Sorbin-Randolph works, did not immediately return phone calls from the Post-Gazette today.

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