Parents charged with child endangerment in Social Host Law case

Alissa Pirraglia 46, and her husband, Giovanno Pirraglia, 52, both of the Town of Goshen, have been charged with crimes including Endangering the Welfare of a Child in connection with a party which occurred at their house on Aug 29 where alcohol was consumed by numerous minors, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced Friday, Oct. 16.

The incident is being investigated by the Town of Goshen Police Department, assisted by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Complaints filed against the Pirraglias in the Town of Goshen Justice Court allege that up to 40 minors were congregating within their residence, openly possessing and consuming alcoholic beverages in the presence of both Pirraglias.

Both defendants were charged with endangering the welfare of child-failure to exercise reasonable control of a minor in relation to their allowing their own underage daughter to provide alcohol to other minors, thereby putting their child at risk of becoming a “juvenile delinquent,” because that conduct constitutes the misdemeanor of first-degree unlawfully dealing with a child.

One minor treated for consuming too much alcohol

One of the minors at the party required medical treatment after having consumed too much alcohol. Both defendants were charged with second-degree criminal nuisance for recklessly creating or maintaining a condition which endangered the safety or health of a considerable number of persons, and violation of Orange County’s Social Host Law for knowingly allowing the consumption of alcohol by minors on their premises and failing to take corrective actions.

Alissa Pirraglia was also charged with four additional counts of endangering the welfare of a child-acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17 for her actions in interacting with the minors as they drank alcohol in her presence.

Both defendants face up to one-year in the Orange County jail if convicted.

Orders of protection issued

The District Attorney’s Office received complaints that witnesses in the case have been subjected to negative treatment on social media by those who are apparently upset with their cooperation with the investigation. At the District Attorney’s Office request, orders of protection were issued in the case.

The defendants are next scheduled to appear in the Town of Goshen Justice Court on Oct. 28.

The District Attorney’s Office is requesting that any member of the public who has knowledge of this incident, or any harassment of witnesses in this case, contact the District Attorney’s Office at (845) 291-2050.

“Parents cannot allow their premises to be used for the consumption of alcohol by minors,” Hoovler said in the press release outlining the case. “Underage drinking is not only illegal, it is dangerous. My office will investigate any alleged use of social media to intimidate or harass witnesses. If any intimidation or tampering with witnesses is established after such an investigation, those individuals will be vigorously prosecuted.”