Teen Caught Possessing Alcohol — Again

A local teenager and Portsmouth High School Student was charged with underage possession of alcohol on Saturday afternoon after a car he was riding in was stopped on East Main Road and police found seven cans of Natural Light beer in plain view.

Police said the teen had recently been in trouble with police for an alcohol-related offense just recently and when they spoke with the boy's mother, they reportedly were told that it was the fault of the police and the town for not giving local youths enough to do.

According to a police report, the teen was in a car that was stopped at around 3:49 p.m. when it was observed driving through a yellow light. The officer on patrol noted the vehicle did not slow down at all and it appeared seven passengers were inside the five-passenger vehicle, including two in the rear cargo area who were not wearing seat belts.

Once stopped, police said the teen said he was coming home from the Newport St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Police smelled alcohol in the car and soon located the beer as well as an Altoids mint canister in the glove box that contained a small amount of marijuana and a marijuana pipe.

The teen reportedly told police that he gave a man in Newport $50 to buy him and his friends the alcohol.

The teen was with several other high school students, all but one having recent run-ins with police, according to a police report. All the teens over 18 were allowed to leave; the others released to their parents.

Police said all the parents were appreciative except one, who said she "knew her son did nothing wrong" and blamed the other boys for the circumstances. 

The mother reportedly lamented the fact that was stopped "so close to home" and said "Portsmouth Police are to blame for the problem in town" because "you give them nothing to do."

Police said they ended the conversation with the mother when it became unproductive and cited the teen for underage possession of alcohol.

Police are investigating.

Updated: This story has been updated to correct an inaccuracy and to add more details from the police report.