Benjamin W. Geldmaker, the teenager who was charged with possession of alcohol by a minor in relation to the November car accident which killed Jon Converse, was charged with the same crime on Thursday, April 24, after he and a group of Barrington teens were found with alcohol near Brickyard Pond.

Mr. Geldmaker, 19, of 128 Maple Ave., is the seventh teenager charged out of the eight that attended the April 19 gathering on Legion Way near the pond.

On Monday, Barrington Police Chief John LaCross said he does not expect any other charges to be made.

Last week, Ryan Greenberg, the teen charged with second-degree murder in the July boating death of fellow Barrington resident Patrick Murphy, was sent to the ACI after he was found in possession of alcohol at the Brickyard Pond incident.

Mr. Greenberg pleaded not guilty to the July charges and had been free on a $100,000 personal recognizance bail since. In January, the court ordered Mr. Greenberg to abstain from alcohol and/or drugs and undergo random testing for drugs and/or alcohol, while on bail. He was not allowed to travel outside of Rhode Island and Massachusetts and was prohibited from operating a water craft.

Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch brought Mr. Greenberg into Superior Court on Tuesday, April 22, as a bail violator.

"He promised the court he would do those things. Over the weekend, he brazenly disregarded his bail conditions — the promise he made to the court to stay out of trouble," said the attorney general's spokesman Mike Healey.

Magistrate Judge Joseph Keough ordered Mr. Greenberg held without bail. A bail violation hearing is set for May 1.

Mr. Healey said the attorney general believes Mr. Greenberg should continue to be held without bail "because he is not showing a sense of responsibility."

"He has not shown that he can stay out of trouble," Mr. Healey said.

Police contact

Mr. Geldmaker has also had reoccurring contact with local law enforcement.

Barrington Police charged him with possession of alcohol by a minor in June 2007 and with theft of a sign in August 2007. Prosecutors later dropped the theft charge. In November 2007, police charged Mr. Geldmaker with possession of alcohol by a minor. He allegedly provided alcohol to some of the teens involved in the Nov. 5 car accident on New Meadow Road that claimed the life of Jon Converse.

Police charged five other teenagers involved in the Brickyard Pond incident, including 18-year-old Corey J. Place, of 416 Sowams Road, with possession of alcohol by a minor. Mr. Place is scheduled to appear in district court Wednesday, May 14.

Two 15-year-old girls and two boys, ages 16 and 17, were also charged with underage possession of alcohol. Their cases were referred to Rhode Island Family Court.

Chief LaCross released a report on Saturday night's incident. He blocked out the juvenile's names, including Mr. Greenberg's name.

Incident details

According to the report, while on party patrol Saturday, Officer Wesley McCoy observed a group of teens by Brickyard Pond near American Legion Post No. 8 off of Legion Way. The officer allegedly witnessed the group near the pond and beer cans on the ground. Mr. Place allegedly tossed a can of Natural Light beer into the water.

The police officer approached the group of eight and reportedly observed three backpacks and a crushed 30-pack container of Keystone Light beer near the teens. One of the backpacks allegedly contained 13 unopened, 12-ounce cans of Natural Light and a Barrington High School elevator key. Another backpack reportedly contained five unopened 12-ounce cans of Natural Light.

Officer McCoy said in his report only two of the eight teens provided him with identification. One teen, identified as number six, allegedly stated "you know me." While walking out of the wooded area, the same teen reportedly shouted, "Call my lawyer, I'm going to the ACI."

"I think it's very disturbing that these individuals meeting at Brickyard Pond and drinking were friends of either Jon Converse or Pat Murphy to some extent, and yet they continue to drink. There was quite a bit of alcohol there, and they were there for over two hours," Chief LaCross said.

On a positive note, the chief said police officers were able to stop the party at around 5:30 p.m. Chief LaCross said he believes the backpacks were intended to transport alcohol to another location.

"At least we got them out of that environment and turned them over to their parents at 5:30," he said. "We may have prevented a negative consequence — alcohol poisoning, a car accident."

History of police contact

This is the third time Mr. Geldmaker, who turned 19 in January, has been charged with a crime in the last year.

In August 2007, Mr. Geldmaker was one of two teenagers charged with the theft of the Barrington Presbyterian Church sign. A district court judge dismissed the charges after the prosecutor reportedly decided not to pursue the case.

Mr. Geldmaker was charged with possession of alcohol by a minor in November 2007, in relation to the accident that claimed the life of Jon Coverse.

Police charged Mr. Geldmaker with with possession of alcohol by a minor on Thursday, April 24, after officers on a party patrol encountered a group of eight teenagers that had gathered near Brickyard Pond on Legion Way.

Court dates

Ryan Greenberg is scheduled to appear in court Friday, May 2, for a bail violation in relation to the Saturday, April 19 incident.

Ben Geldmaker will appear in court Thursday, May 15, for the charges of possession of alcohol by a minor in November 2007 and Saturday, April 19.

Corey J. Place, who was charged with possession of alcohol by a minor Saturday, April 19, will appear in court Wednesday, May 14.

By Kim Centazzo

kcentazzo@eastbaynewspapers.com