Thursday, November 15, 2001
CANFIELD -- A Mahoning County Court judge found a Canfield High School soccer player and his older sister guilty of charges stemming from a party at their home in August.
Six Canfield High School athletes were suspended from their athletic teams after they were cited for drinking alcohol at the party.
Mark Pakula, 18, and his sister, Julie Pakula, 19, both of Barbcliff Drive, pleaded no contest to a disorderly conduct charge Wednesday night in Mahoning County Court here. The pleas were part of a negotiated agreement.
Judge Scott Hunter found them guilty and fined each $100 and ordered them to pay $50 in court costs.
What happened: The Pakulas were cited for permitting underage consumption in August after police broke up a party at the Barbcliff Drive house. Seven other teens at the house also were cited for underage consumption.
After the citations were issued, Lee Frey, high school athletics director, suspended five high school soccer players who were said to be at the party, including Mark Pakula, for three games. In addition, one teen, who is on both the football and soccer teams, was suspended for three soccer games and two football games.
The six suspensions were one of the largest penalties ever assessed to a Mahoning Valley team.
The rules: The high school's chemical abuse policy for athletes requires first-time offenders to sit out at least 20 percent of a season. The policy, which is signed by all Canfield athletes, states that a violation occurs when players possess, use, sell, offer to sell, deliver, conceal, consume, or be under the influence of any drugs of abuse, including alcoholic beverages.
The policy also prohibits athletes from willingly attending and remaining at activities where illegal consumption of alcohol or drugs is taking place.