Officer Ethan Sorgbin Arrested for Providing Alcohol to Minors

A Homer City police officer is facing charges after an underage drinking party.

The party was held on Jan. 23 on at 429 Fisher Street in Indiana Borough, near the IUP campus.

"They arrested 34 young people for underage drinking, one for public drunkenness and one for furnishing," Indiana Borough Police Chief William Sutton said.

Officer Ethan Sorbin was not arrested at first but police charged him with two counts of furnishing alcohol to minors and intimidating a witness.

"Basically it means that somehow a person has interfered with the investigation or contacted or some way encouraged a witness what to say, what not to say or what to do during a criminal investigation," Sutton explained.

Witnesses told police that Sorbin ordered everyone at the party to be quiet and not to answer the door, claiming that police could not enter without a search warrant.

A female was found unconscious from drinking inside and was rushed to the hospital.

Parole Officer Robert Rowels Charged with Sexual Misconduct

Cook County prosecutors contend that an Illinois Department of Corrections parole officer twice forced a female parolee under his supervision to perform a sex act on him.

The officer, 45-year-old Robert Rowels, was charged Tuesday with custodial sexual misconduct, criminal sexual assault and official misconduct.

Assistant State’s Attorney Iris Ferosie says Rowels first demanded sexual services from the 27-year-old woman during a visit to her home late last fall. Ferosie says Rowels also made the same demand of the woman last month.

Rowels’ attorney, Hal Garfinkel, told Circuit Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. that his client has an outstanding work…