Fraternity caught in booze crackdown

MUNCIE, Ind., Aug. 21 (UPI) -- A fraternity holding a party to celebrate the start of the new school year at Ball State University in Indiana got caught in a crackdown on underage drinking.

More than 20 people at the Zeta Beta Tau house were cited Saturday night for supplying alcohol to minors or for illegal drinking, The Indianapolis Star reported.

The Indiana State Excise Police also went undercover, posing as clerks at the Muncie Liquors Store near the campus. They roamed neighborhoods around the university looking for parties.

The officers handed out 74 summonses. Three people were jailed -- one a minor and the others adults who were charged with public intoxication.

Citations were given for possession of alcohol, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and false identification.

BSU Police Chief Gene Burton said the fraternity had not been a problem in the past.

Zeta Beta Tau President Nathan Elsworth said the fraternity has decided to ban alcohol.

"We were just having a little party, and some way or another Excise (police) showed up and handed out tickets," he said.