How can I be charged with Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor when none of the underage people were charged?
The adage “two wrongs do not make it right” is somewhat applicable here. Just because a person drinks underage and thereby breaks the law does not mean that the provider of the alcohol cannot be charged with Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor. The fact that the underage person may have paid the furnisher to obtain the alcohol does not matter. The guilt of the underage person is completely irrelevant from a legal perspective. The issue is whether or not the person “furnished” alcohol, which means did the person supply, give, or allow the minor to drink at the person’s residence or on their property.
People often argue that this isn’t fair, meaning it is not just that the underage person broke the law and is not punished. Life is not fair, and the criminal system is not always just. The police and prosecutors have discretion in whether to file and prosecute charges. In these situations, the police and prosecutors are more focused on prosecuting the misdemeanor Furnishing charges instead of the summary offense of Underage Drinking.