Police said Thursday that six people have been arrested following the wild party last month at the vacant upstate New York home of ex-NFL player Brian Holloway – a party held without his consent. The six are facing charges that range from criminal trespass and endangering the welfare of a child to burglary and criminal mischief, among others. Over two hundred teens and young adults were said to have partied at the house, which Holloway has alleged was vandalized by the incident.
Authorities say they expect many more to be charged.
From NEWS10 ABC:
Police in Rensselaer County tell NEWS10 ABC that six people between the ages of 17 and 21-years old are facing charges Thursday for their involvement in the Labor Day weekend house party and vandalism at a former NFL player’s Stephentown home.
But, these six are not alone – not by a long shot.
Police say the total number of those expected to be arrested will end up being in the hundreds – a record number for one single case in Rensselaer County.
Investigators say between 100 and 200 people will face charges ranging from felony Burglary and Grand Larceny to misdemeanors, such as Criminal Trespass or Endangering the Welfare of a Minor.
Police say the six “key players,” those who hosted and supplied the alcohol and drugs at the August 31st party, were arrested on Thursday and will be brought into Stephentown Court one by one to face charges.
A full list of those arrested and the charges they are facing can be found at NEWS10 ABC.
NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports
The story sparked a media firestorm after Holloway reposted tweets and photos that party attendees had themselves posted to social media. He set up the website HelpMeSave300 and companion Facebook page, urging the teens to come forward and take responsibility by coming to the property to help clean up. After several weekend events, only four who claim to have been at the party showed up.
Some parents were angry with Holloway for his response and worried that the postings might impact their children’s future college and employment prospects.
The Times Union noted that at least one parent feared coming forward because of media backlash.
A mother of one of the teens at the party, who asked her name and her son’s name not be used for fear of repercussions, said before the arrests that she wouldn’t want to subject her son to the media circus created by the incident by coming forward.
She also objected to suggestions that she hasn’t disciplined her teen.
“I’ll punish him as I see fit,” she said. “I don’t need to punish him as Brian Holloway sees fit.”
Many of the teens named by Holloway on his website — he later took the names down — or visible in photos have been targeted for abuse by Internet vigilantes.
“He’s a responsible kid,” the mom said. “He’s not a horrible, rotten teenage delinquent.”
[…] “I don’t think any parent could say that they were in the right by being there,” she said. “But the direction this is going is completely out of control.”
Since the story has gained more public attention, some have raised questions about Holloway’s claims and motives. But the former NFL player has maintained in public statements that no matter the circumstances, the party-goers caused damage to and trespassed upon his property.
The announcement of arrests came shortly after Holloway signed paperwork related to the incident; he posted two signed affidavits to the HelpMeSave300 website. One was a statement alleging trespass upon his property and confirming that he did not give permission for entry into the home. The second was a statement alleging stolen property, pertaining to a granite eagle statue that Holloway has said was the headstone for a grandson who died at birth. (It should be noted that, according to a posting on the same website, the statue was returned shortly after the incident).
Holloway said he decided to move forward with the complaints after he gave party-goers the opportunity to come forward on their own, but only a handful chose to do so. He said that if he didn’t take a stand against those who failed to come forward, “then I would be just as guilty as the students and the parents that absolutely failed in stepping forward and being accountable,” according to the Times Union.
Authorities said that it’s taken some time to investigate the matter, as they’ve had to interview hundreds of teens and their parents. They also said that social media played a major role in identifying some of those to be charged. Thursday’s arrests marked the first action in the case.
Holloway had an emotional encounter outside the courthouse with one of the parents of a teen he knew very well, according to NEWS10 ABC (and can be seen in the video above).
Brian Holloway appeared in court himself on Thursday, telling NEWS10 ABC he wanted to see for himself the arrests were happening.
One mother of a teen arrested gave a tearful apology to Holloway outside of court. They say they knew each other well, and Holloway says the male arrested was a frequent visitor to the home, even living there at times.
“Today’s arrests send a strong message to the youth in our community, this kind of behavior will not be tolerated,” said Sheriff Jack Mahar “it is also an example of the excellent work performed by our Sheriff’s investigators”
Those arrested Thursday are expected to return to court on October 17th.
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Comments
The kids should have called themselves “Occupy Albany” and said it was a protest. Then they could put the arrests on their college applications.
Mr. Holloway is thinking along the same lines! Wall Street needs to pay off Holloway’s debt! It is only fair after all of the bad bad things that they did!!!
“(5) WALL STREET:
I will be turning the property over to 3 organizations, so they and they’re membership, families and enjoy this amazing 200 acre property for years to come. This will be the MILITARY, BREAST CANCER, EMERGENCY RESPONSE organizations. You have the people to put this together and get this funded. We can get college students to run it. Get the capital raise together and I will sign over the deed next week. I’m directing this conversation to *Bank of America, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, GMAC. What you did to hard working American’s was wrong;”
http://helpmesave300.com/
If doesn’t matter how much of a jerk you or anyone else think Mr Holloway is. Those young people still committed a crime.
This is all about money Amy. The teens, maybe 300 of them, all showed up to a party way out in the woods. Someone kicked it off; the early reports were that it was Holloway’s son that threw the party. As it turns out it was his son, not biological, but a young man that Mr. Holloway took in to his family when he was 15 years old; he is now 19 and is charged with felonies and misdemeanors; Holloway is pleased with that.
The neighbors all said that the property was in disrepair before the party, and I posted a link to a realtor that listed the home, their photos show that the house was in bad shape before the party as well. Holloway hasn’t made a mortgage payment on the home for two years. The house is in foreclosure now and will be auctioned next month. If it does not bring the full balance owed on the lien, Holloway will have to pay the deficit to the bank. Having the wood floors completely redone, the carpet replaced with new carpeting, the graffiti that Holloway did himself removed from the barn with a pressure washer, the windows replaced, etc… adds a lot of value to the home and now it will bring a higher price at auction, saving Holloway from having to pay the bank the difference after the sale.
Holloway is a Motivational Speaker, he is at SC Johnson & Co. speaking today. All of this publicity, initially favorable to him because of his not wanting to press charges but rather play with the teens with his aspirational helpmesave300.com “movement,” increases his celebrity and helps him get more speaking gigs, not to mention all of the cash he is getting from donations.
There is nothing pretty to see here.
If doesn’t matter how much of a jerk you or anyone else think Mr Holloway is. Those young people still committed a crime.
But are his actions wrong? They are certainly not illegal. Trespass and distribution of alcohol to minors is.
The stupid is even heavier I this one.
Let’s hope that the justice system treats those arrested as individuals and not give everyone the same punishment. From all the stories it appears there were the actual perpetrators, and others who had just been invited–to a house where parties had been held before.
My concern is the absolutist mindset of many in government that:(1) we have to treat everybody the same–we don’t want to be “unfair” and the (2) zero tolerance attitude where a child with a toy gun is treated as bad as an actual terrorist.
Let’s hope.
It sounds like they have already segregated at least one small faction from the group and assigned more serious charges. So, it’s fair to believe that they will assign charges as they can given the evidence. But with so many kids over such a long time, it may not be possible to determine exactly everyone’s role and involvement in great detail. The testimony of the other kids is probably one key along with the social media postings.
To the sanctimonious mother who says she doesn’t have to punish her child as Holloway sees fit, I would say: yes, maybe you do! He was the victim of your selfish, spoiled brat, so maybe your methods and “punishment” has only yielded another of those narcissistic, amoral children to whom everything is given and nothing is expected. So tired of “children” committing crimes whose behavior is always explained and rationalized away!
Totally agree – who the cr*p does she think her precious child impacted by his behavior? The victim was trying to cut her kid a break – to avoid it being sent to the legal system. Now he should go for the fullest punishment possible.
As for treating some of the kids lighter because “they had just been invited” – that’s BS. Those were the kids who should have shown up and helped clean up the mess. However they chose to stand with the “actual perpetrators” so they should share their consequences.
I also think it doesn’t matter whether the house was in foreclosure or disrepair. The kids had no right partying in the man’s house. End of discussion.
Should have shown up at the house and cleaned up?
Have you read the article about the parent’s interview that you are commenting on? Here is a link:
http://blog.timesunion.com/advocate/one-parents-response-to-brian-holloway/4815/
“This mom says she’s been horrified by Holloway’s sometimes wild allegations — including claims that teens were given date-rape drugs and sexually assaulted at the party.”
“I’m very disturbed that this man is able to go on national TV and say what he wants, and nobody can respond,” she said. “Every parent feels trapped, like they have to hide.”
““I don’t think any parent could say that they were in the right by being there,” she said. “But the direction this is going is completely out of control.”
“Parents of the teens who attended the party have been widely vilified for not bringing their children to a “clean up” hosted by Holloway. But this parent asks why she would subject her son to a media circus or otherwise allow her son to be used as Holloway’s prop.”
“Holloway’s prop,” no sh*t! helpmesave300.com
Nope. Read the article. She’s fulla shinola. The above comments are appropriate in that she’s covering for her kid. It’s accuse the accuser as a defense. No mention of private outreach and request for a less public reparation based on a lower level of culpability; just bluster and ad hominae.
There was mention of that:
“I’ve also been bothered by Holloway’s focus on media attention above all other concerns. When I was at the house, he seemed most interested that volunteers tweet about their being there. And if he really wanted teens to attend his event, he should have made it private — no cameras.”
“he should have made it private — no cameras.”
The irony being, if she had demanded such a “no cameras” policy for the illegal party her darling child attended, the trespassers wouldn’t have plastered social media with the very photos that got them busted.
Hahahahaha!
She has a point in so far as Holloway has no say in how she chooses to punish her child.
Holloway does have a say over if and how the State chooses to punish her child.
A smart parent might reach out to the victim in order to negotiate a package deal – accept the former in exchange for avoiding the latter.
To my knowledge no college or job applications ask “have your parents ever compelled you to atone or make restitution?”
But most all do ask about arrests and convictions.
“He’s a responsible kid,” the mom said. “He’s not a horrible, rotten teenage delinquent.”
His own actions prove her wrong.
Brian Holloway’s grandfather was the first executive director of the United Negro College Fund. Brian married a blue eyed blonde, the mother of [most] of his children, and then…
“The couple separated in 1995 and what Bette has called ”a nightmare” began. At least nine domestic disputes have shown up on the police blotter and according to court papers, Holloway owes more than $11,000 in child support.”
“Her estranged husband has been charged with violating a temporary restraining order by entering the house on May 24 to cut phone lines, remove personal items and turn up the heat, part of what she claims is a psychological campaign to drive her away. The campaign seems to be working. She said he also stripped the burners from the stove so she could not cook dinner for their four children, who are now staying with him and his new girlfriend.”
Mr. Holloway was trying to “help save her” from being able to cook for their children and call people on the telephone…
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/01/sports/one-more-athlete-s-wife-picks-up-the-pieces-of-her-life.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
So Mr Holloway isn’t a saint. How does that make his current actions wrong?
This guy went from “Help me save 300” to arrest hundreds of kids and file Felony charges! All of this is related to a house that he does not live in, does not own, and that he had left in disrepair. Then he solicited and accepted free repairs and money; and he is still asking for more money, donations.
Felony charges against the ringleader, a young man that was taken in as a part of the family and lived in that freakin house?! 2+2 does not add up to 4 here.
“Police said a ringleader of the party was 19-year-old Seth Hawk, the young man Holloway said he had taken into his family a few years ago. Hawk, of Grafton, faces felony charges of burglary and criminal mischief and misdemeanor charges of endangering the welfare of a child and unlawfully dealing with a child. He’s accused of advertising the party and providing alcohol.”
“Three of the other arrested people face felony charges including burglary and larceny, and two are charged with misdemeanors, including trespassing. They range in age from 17 to 21.”
“Holloway said Hawk was a classmate of his son and had a troubled youth but found stability living as part of his family when he was about 15. He said hearing about Hawk’s involvement “was a shocker.””
“We’re still pulling for him,” he said. “This may be the thing to get him on track.”
This all seems righteous to most here, but Holloway wants money and celebrity. His 15 minutes of fame clock restarted today because he filled these charges.
I take it that this really disturbs you. Is this what your problem has been all along? Is this why you’ve had such a bee up your behind about this fella? ‘Cause he married outside his race? Do you think him uppity, dear?
“The Ladies’ Auxiliary of the New Anti-Miscegenation League thank you once again for your kind support.”
/SMH
Amy I was just playing the Race Card, that’s all! Don’t throw such a hissy. You know people here hate Blacks, and United Negro College Fund Blacks marrying blue eyed blondes, well… 😉
And Brian Holloway likes to play the Race Card too:
The Internet wasn’t so prevalent in 1997, when Holloway was accused of damaging the Stephentown house, then occupied by his estranged wife.
Holloway was charged with violating an order of protection after Bette McKenzie said he cut phone lines, stole things, removed burners from the stove and turned up the heat as high as it would go. (Police were called to the house at least 11 times during the late 1990s, according to a Times Union story from 1997.)
When asked about the incident this week, Holloway called the charge “ridiculous,” implied it was racially motivated and said “none of that happened.”
And Brian Holloway likes to play the Race Card too:
The Internet wasn’t so prevalent in 1997, when Holloway was accused of damaging the Stephentown house, then occupied by his estranged wife.
Holloway was charged with violating an order of protection after Bette McKenzie said he cut phone lines, stole things, removed burners from the stove and turned up the heat as high as it would go. (Police were called to the house at least 11 times during the late 1990s, according to a Times Union story from 1997.)
When asked about the incident this week, Holloway called the charge “ridiculous,” implied it was racially motivated and said “none of that happened.”
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Advocate-Time-for-a-deep-breath-on-Holloway-party-4833104.php
Boom Amy…he’s toast. No warning shot!
Oh dear, dear, dear! These poor kids’ future might be harmed by this vindictive prosecution. The homeowner’s the problem, not the kids. He shouldn’t have named names. If he hadn’t, everything would be all right. Mommies’ dearests would be free to apply to the wonderful universities of their choice.
Oh dear, dear, what can the matter be?
Gee, I wonder where the posters who commented about Holloway owning much of the blame are now that arrests have begun.
I think that I was the only one, but I’m here. Happy Friday!
Well, Brian milked this thing for all that he could before he got pissed, and he was rewarded, the house has been repaired by volunteers:
“(1) THANK YOU! First I want to thank the amazing volunteers that have come forward and help by donating time, resources, ideas, help and prayers. In particular, I want to give an amazing shout out to Bostonian Flooring Creations and Brian Simmons, Project Outreach for your generous donation”
http://helpmesave300.com/
But it appears that many, most, or even all of the damages were there before the party. Here is a link to a realtor’s photos of Mr. Holloway’s home taken before the party:
http://web.archive.org/web/20130622110030/http://paloaltoinnewyork.com/
You can see that the carpets were damaged:
http://web.archive.org/liveweb/http://paloaltoinnewyork.com/property/newcamera/guest/data/images/aspenupstairs4.jpg
and that the wall had a hole in it that was patched but not painted:
http://web.archive.org/liveweb/http://paloaltoinnewyork.com/property/newcamera/data/images/14.jpg
and the graffiti that Holloway had done himself before the party:
http://web.archive.org/web/20130923214439/http://paloaltoinnewyork.com/property/data/images1/img_1728.jpg
Dead links do not a convincing argument make.
Sorry about link #2 Gus, the internet’s bad not mine; but the other three links work fine. The first one is from the Realtor, and if you allow it to open it has photos of the dilapidated mansion taken before the party.
Did you ever think maybe people volunteered to help out knowing that it wasn’t great and don’t feel deceived? People do nice things for others when moved to and sometimes they show kindness…it does happen. Maybe he was rewarded by the generosity of others…it does happen. If he was anything like the Tampa Tax Fraud Queen I’m sure you would be railing off about how he’s just a sad charity case of mental illness that is misunderstood by society and persecuted for being black.
Until you see ONE OF THEM (them being volunteers who actually cleaned up the place) speak out about feeling cheated…I’d shut your trap to avoid looking foolish but that’s never stopped you before.
I am reminded reading about a Chicago mother who was upset when her son was arrested when he and his friends covered a building in graffiti. She and her husband were professors at the University of Chicago. She argued that no one had been hurt and that her son had helped his underprivileged friends make contacts among in the local arts community because some of them were really quite talented. I always wondered, why hadn’t she let them to redecorate her house instead?
“Some parents were angry with Holloway for his response and worried that the postings might impact their children’s future college and employment prospects.” As well it should. Liberals and Democrats–and you just *know* these parents are–feel actions should not have consequences.
Welcome to the brave new liberal world where those who commit crimes are the victims. In the liberal world, it is never a person’s fault for there is no such thing as personal responsibility or ethics. People are nothing more than victims.
Don’t these people realize that it is this attitude that is destroying America? People look at conservative values and laugh at them not realizing that these values have been around for a very long time because they work. Saving a child from consequences of committing crimes teaches the child nothing constructive and only serves to increase the lawlessness that we are seeing everywhere today. It is well past time for this country to understand that tough love works and is the only thing that works. Unfortunately, when you have political leadership in Washington telling the country through their own actions that lying is acceptable, that theft goes without punishment, and that the end justifies the means, we will continue our downhill slide. Is it any wonder why gun ownership is soaring in America?
Maybe those parents will sue the courts for convicting their children of vandalism? Such is the attitude of “It’s never my fault” child rearing.
Not vandalism, Holloway vandalized his own property with graffiti. The six young people (17-21) are charged with:
1) felony charges of burglary
2) felony charges of criminal mischief
3) felony charges of larceny
4) misdemeanor charges of endangering the welfare of a child
5) misdemeanor charges of unlawfully dealing with a child
6) misdemeanor charges of trespassing
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/6-arrests-made-in-vandalism-of-ex-nfl-player-brian-holloways-ny-vacation-home-more-expected/2013/09/27/179dbccc-2733-11e3-9372-92606241ae9c_story.html
Holloway had FRIENDS and HOUSEGUESTS write their name on the barn as part of a friendly and fun family gesture.
Trespassers vandalized by writing vulgar language and graphics all over the barn because it was funny to them. They won’t be charged with vandalism but they should be. Good thing that the charges they will get are more serious than vandalism.
“Some parents were angry with Holloway for his response and worried that the postings might impact their children’s future college and employment prospects.” One hopes the possibility worries them for years.
“A mother of one of the teens at the party, who asked her name and her son’s name not be used for fear of repercussions, said before the arrests that she wouldn’t want to subject her son to the media circus created by the incident by coming forward.” Now she’s concerned about repercussions. There’s always a reason to do nothing.
They are called consequences. Let’s have them for both the dimwitted, foul mouthed “adult” partying vandals, and the dim witted, “adult” parents of the dim witted, foul mouthed, “minor” partying vandals.
Not accountability, consequences.
I’m pretty sure no one is going to crucify a kid in the media for apologizing and expressing remorse.
She was worried that if her family and her “child” started making the same old bullcrap excuses we’ve already heard that they would be roasted…and they would…and they should.
It doesn’t matter whether Holloway has issues/mistreated his ex-wife or whether the house is pending foreclosure. For all you or I know his ex Bette could be a self-serving money grubbing witch who is getting what she deserves but that is not the issue. It doesn’t matter that he didn’t live in the house or the town. The kids DID NOT have the right to be there partying. The kids did the crime so why shouldn’t they face the punishment?
“The kids did the crime so why shouldn’t they face the punishment?”
I am not saying they, whoever “they” are, should not face charges. I am saying that Mr. Holloway has used the party to enrich himself with cash donations, get his broken down home brought up to date [for free with donations] for its sale next month, and he used this to increase his personal celebrity. If the same thing had happened to you or anyone here, I would bet that you would have cooperated with the authorities and that would be that, none of this helpsave300.com nonsense.
BTW, isn’t it funny that none, none, of the six teens was charged with $20,000 worth of vandalism to the home? There are no charges related to any damage whatsoever! And isn’t it funny that the three teen girls that took the eagle statue and then returned it to the investigators are charged with felony Grand Larceny via Mr. Holloway’s signing an affidavit of theft valuing that lawn ornament at $1,250; I thought he was all about “saving” the teens that came forward and did the right thing. But what he is really all about is not letting a good crisis go to waste.
So the teens and Holloway are both wrong, IMO; but the vast majority of the teens, about 294 of the 300, much less so.
Why do you hate black people so, DB?
😉 Thanks Amy, that is the best laugh I have had all day! I gave you a thumbs up!!! Cheers.
Glad you’re able to laugh at yourself…you are a running joke around these parts.
Hopefully, you laughed in the same spirit of at yourself as we all are.