Craig Benedict appeared in court in Cazenovia on Tuesday.
/ Katie Corrado
CAZENOVIA -- Federal Prosecutor Craig Benedict of Cazenovia is now a step closer to wiping his record clean.
On Tuesday night, a judge accepted an adjournment in contemplation in the case, which involved charges Benedict had alcohol at his son's graduation party, attended by a large group of minors.
Charges against Benedict will be dropped in six months if he stays out of trouble.
Witnesses say Benedict made sure everyone who drank was of legal age, but a mass text message brought droves of teens to the party with their own alcohol supply.
The case sends a cautionary message to other parents to be careful when hosting parties including minors. "You've got to be really careful if you're going to have parties for underage kids, and basically have a game plan," said Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick. "Have common sense. Have some help. Have some other adults there that can supervise and monitor, and see what goes on because the consequences can be disastrous."
In 2008, Fitzpatrick helped clear Jeff and Kandice Keyes, Tully parents who had been wrongly accused of allowing minors to drink in their home after their daughter's friend drunkenly crashed a car later that night.
Both cases are a reminder that underage drinking can be a problem, even for the most vigilant parents.
