Under Oklahoma's social host laws, it is illegal to permit anyone under the age of 21 to possess or drink alcohol in your home or on your property. In most cases, social host violations are misdemeanors, and the maximum penalty is a $500 fine.

However, allowing minors to drink on your property can bring much more serious consequences than a fine. Two adults in Cleveland County are finding this out the hard way.

Early Sunday morning, Cleveland County Sheriff's deputies were called to a home in Lexington to check on an unresponsive teen. Deputies found the body of a 15-year-old boy, and said there were no apparent injuries or signs of trauma. 

Witnesses say that a party had been going on at the home where the teen was found, and that several underage guests were drinking at the party. Although autopsy reports are pending, investigators believe alcohol consumption was a factor in the boy's death.

Now, deputies have arrested two adults in connection with the teen's death. They say that Tonya Lynne Moss, 32, and Justin David Moore, 34, allowed minors to drink on their property during the party. They have been booked into the Cleveland County jail on multiple complaints.

Both Moss and Moore are charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and permitting an invitee under 21 to possess or consume alcohol, resulting in death. Each person faces additional charges as well.

Moss, who is currently on probation for a deferred sentence for DUI and drug possession, is also charged with possession of a firearm during probation and child neglect.

Moore's additional charges include carrying a loadd firearm and transporting a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle.

Oklahoma social host laws are found in 37 O.S. § 8.2. The penalties for permitting an invitee under 21 to drink alcohol or low-point beer vary depending on whether it is a first offense or subsequent offense and whether anyone was harmed as a result:

  • First offense - misdemeanor, maximum fine of $500
  • Second offense within 10 years - misdemeanor, maximum fine of $1,000
  • Third offense within 10 years - felony, up to 5 years in prison and a maximum fine of $2,500
  • Resulting in great bodily injury or death - felony, up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $2,500 to $5,000

Often, those who violate social host laws are subject to not only criminal penalties, but also civil litigation as well. If, for example, an adult allows a minor to drink on his or her property, and that minor is then involved in a DUI accident, the host is likely to find himself or herself to be a defendant in a civil lawsuit. 

Often, parents think that their teens are going to be drinking anyway, so they might as well allow them to drink in their homes, where they won't be tempted to drink and drive. However, extending that "hospitality" to their children's friends can lead to heartache for everyone involved.