A 34-year-old Maplewood police officer is scheduled to appear in court later this month on allegations he provided alcohol to juvenile girls at his Stillwater home in early October.
Joseph Tran, formerly the school police resource officer for the city, faces one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing in Washington County Court on Feb. 28.
Tran pleaded not guilty to the offense at an earlier hearing, according to his attorney, Robert Oleisky.
“He very much disagrees with the charge and looks forward to having his correct story come out and to be able to be heard in that regard,” Oleisky said.
Tran could not be reached for comment.
According to the criminal complaint:
Three juvenile girls decided to go to Tran’s house in the 3500 block of Abercrombie Lane about 10 p.m. Oct. 8, after one of the teenagers told the others Tran would “supply alcohol and allow them to drink at his residence.”
When they arrived, Tran reportedly was gone. But one of the girls knew the code to his garage, and the three let themselves inside.
About half an hour later, Tran allegedly returned home with wine and beer, which he watched the teens drink inside his townhome.
One of the juveniles reportedly got so drunk she began vomiting.
When asked by an investigator if it was common for 17-year-old girls to drink at Tran’s house, one of the teens replied, “I guess so,” the complaint said.
When questioned by police, Tran allegedly admitted knowing at least one of the girls drank his alcohol, the complaint said.
He was placed on paid leave from his Maplewood police job Oct. 10.
The initial report also accused Tran of sexually assaulting one of the teens, but he was not charged with that offense.
He was charged by summons with furnishing alcohol to a minor — a gross misdemeanor — by the Stillwater city attorney’s office on Nov. 27.
Tran has since been reinstated to active duty with Maplewood police pending the outcome of the case, though he is no longer working as the city’s school resource officer or performing typical peace-keeping duties, according to Maplewood Police Chief Dave Kvam.
“He is primarily scanning and doing office-type work that doesn’t involve public contact,” Kvam said. “I don’t like the idea of paying somebody when they are not performing a service … at least (this way) we are getting something for the salary he is collecting.”
Tran has no complaints on his personnel record, Kvam said.
Sarah Horner can be reached at 651-228-5539. Follow her at twitter.com/hornsarah.
