DaytonDailyNews.com

LEBANON — A Warren County woman goes on trial Friday, May 9, accused of allowing underage Springboro High School teens to be in her home while she was drinking or in possession of alcohol.

Mary Ellen Hause, 48, of Clearcreek Twp., was charged with three counts of "offenses involving underage persons," after Web site photos were provided to the school resource officer.

Hause, a former part-time school district employee, faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted on any of the three counts, which are first-degree misdemeanors.

"We are looking for jail time," said Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel, noting the charges allege Hause "provided a place for them to drink," not furnishing the alcohol.

Today, Hause's lawyer — her third since police first approached her about the pictures — could negotiate a plea, to avoid trial.

Dayton lawyer John Rion said the charges are unconstitutionally overbroad and vague, and the law is so broad it prevents juveniles from carrying in groceries, including alcoholic beverages, and could charge parents who leave juveniles with "one ounce of alcohol" in the house — unless the juvenile's parents supervise Rion said in a motion.

The case began when "a concerned parent" e-mailed pictures from the social networking Web site facebook.com to Sgt. Don Wilson, the school resource officer.

On Sept. 14, 2007, Wilson and Clearcreek Twp. police interviewed three high school girls with their parents.

The girls admitted drinking in Hause's basement with four unidentified boys and said Hause "stayed with them for an hour in the basement playing cards with the males and drinking herself," Clearcreek Twp. officer Steve Reynolds said in an incident report.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2261 or

lbudd@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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