Eighteen people -- mostly UB students -- were arrested Friday night in a local police sting on Halloween parties in University Heights.
University Police, in conjunction with Niagara Falls Transportation Authority Transit Police and Buffalo police, arrested residents and Halloween partygoers at 19 Heath St., 27 Custer St. and 169 Highgate Ave.
Lieutenant John King of Buffalo's Edward district station said that most of the people arrested were UB students.
Those arrested included Michael Alvarez, 20; Bradley Bates, 20; Jonathan Berman, 20; Scott Berman, 22; Matthew Brumagin, 22; Michael Hart, 18; Jason Kahn, 20, Curtis Magnuszewski, 19; Jared Peel, 20; Frank Sicari, 20; Michael Steigman, 20; Jared Vieselmeyer, 18; Adam Wilder, 20; Michael Williams, 20; Jonathan Yaghoubi, 22; and Alexander Zambelli, 20.
Heather Gallant, 19, received an appearance ticket and was released on her own recognizance, police said.
"They were arrested for selling alcoholic beverages without a license and operating a criminal nuisance, allowing people to gather to engage in criminal conduct," said King.
King said that though house parties occur every weekend, Friday was a particularly wild night.
"When you go to UB, every Friday is every Friday," King said. "We developed a problem property task force. When a property becomes a problem, which means the block clubs have had issues with it or 911 gets called on the same address again and again, it gets assigned to the task force."
King said it was a combination of repeated complaints and the Halloween holiday weekend that brought the task force, complete with an enforcement agent from the State Liquor Authority, to the Heights. Students caught charging admission to house parties with alcohol were charged with misdemeanors.
"If you're collecting money, serving drinks, or you're a resident, you're in trouble," said King. "If you could keep it reasonable, you would probably have no contact with the police. We only show up when it's already gotten beyond reasonable."
Russell Gilbert, a senior business law major, was at the party on 169 Highgate Ave. when the police broke it up. Gilbert said two officers entered the house undercover, told people to leave, and began handing out tickets.
"All the stuff that goes on in Buffalo between killings and other crap - I don't understand why they decided to break up a house party on Halloween," Gilbert said. "I don't understand where the cops were when my car got broken into."
Junior communications major Adam Wilder was among those arrested at 169 Highgate Ave., and said he was angered at the officers' disorganization.
"I didn't get put in my cell till 5:30 in the morning. I got out at 11 a.m. I went right from jail, right to work," he said. "It just seems like they're trying to make our lives a living hell. I go to jail for wanting to hang out and have a good time with my friends on Halloween."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
