Springs Man Charged With Teen House Parties Released On His Own Recognizance: Court

EAST HAMPTON, NY — A Springs man charged with numerous offenses related to house parties where he allegedly sold Xanax to a teen and allowed underage drinking, according to police, has been released on his own recognizance.

According to East Hampton Town Justice Court, Jefferson D. Eames, 48, has not been indicted, and was released on his own recognizance Tuesday.

He is due back before the judge Thursday and is represented by attorney Eileen Powers.

All charges remain pending and technically, the Suffolk County district attorney has up to six months from arraignment to investigate the felony charge and decide whether to indict, according to law.

Under law, although bail was initially set at $40,000, without an indictment, Eames was able to be released on his own recognizance after five days.

The home where the parties allegedly took place is the same location where Jordan Johnson, 18, recently overdosed, authorities confirmed.

According to East Hampton Town Police, Eames, of the 100 block of Neck Path in Springs, was arrested on Thursday at 12:28 p.m. and charged with "numerous criminal counts" related to underage parties allegedly held at his residence.

Eames, police said, was charged with offenses related to the sale of a controlled substance by providing Xanax to a youth living at his residence, endangering the welfare of children less than 17 years of age and violating the Suffolk County Social Host Law for knowingly allowing children to consume alcohol at his residence.

He was taken into custody on Thursday at his residence when he attempted to re-enter the home and close the door on investigators, police said.

He was charged with one count of fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a felony, nine counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, three counts of violating Suffolk County's Social Host law, an unclassified misdemeanor, and one count of resisting arrest, a misdemeanor, police said.

Police and Christine Moran, Johnson's mother, who was found hours after he overdosed, said the home is the same location as where Johnson was found.

After Johnson overdosed and was, according to the attorney representing him and his family, left for dead, the community came together in an outpouring of concern, working together to ensure such incidents never happen again.

East Hampton Town Police Captain Anderson said adults need to take the lead in educating kids. "It would start with conversations with your kids, first and foremost. There's a Social Host Law and it's incumbent upon those adults to exercise good judgment," he said.

Anderson added that the arrest came after a "series of incidents," and said, "It is still a continuing investigation, it remains active, and there is the potential for additional charges."