A Homer City police officer has been charged with providing alcohol to minors at a party last month in Indiana, Pa.

A criminal complaint was filed Tuesday against Ethan Sorbin-Randolph, 21, charging him with providing alcohol to an already drunk person, providing beer to minors and intimidating 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.

More than 50 people, most of them under 21, attended the party, police said.

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.

Mr. Skedel, 20, is charged with underage drinking, corruption of minors, two counts of furnishing alcohol to minors including serving those under age 18, and hosting a disorderly gathering.

A third adult, Courtney Coleman, 22, of Brush Valley, is charged with corruption of minors and two counts of providing alcohol to minors.

All three will be ordered by summons to appear in court to face the charges.

The adults inside ordered their teen guests to keep quiet, hoping the police would leave the scene. Outside, Indiana Patrolman Thomas Dessell Jr. called for backup. Then, while other officers surrounded the apartment house, he obtained a search warrant.

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

Police identified and cited 33 teens and young adults with underage drinking, Indiana police Chief William Sutton said.

Many of the minors told police they had been drinking beer given to them by Officer Sorbin-Randolph, according to the police affidavit.

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 later to advise her to tell police he had been at the party for only a short time and that she "better say nothing."

Hearings for Officer Sorbin-Randolph, Mr. Skedel and Ms. Coleman will be scheduled before District Judge Guy B. Haberl.

All of the charges are misdemeanor or summary counts.

Officials in Homer City, where Officer Sorbin-Randolph works, could not be reached for comment.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.