Fetish Party shut down and Police arrest two

The Fetish Party at Banana House on March 29 was shut down by the Oberlin Police for underage drinking, the second party shut down in as many weeks of classes. Two town residents were arrested on charges including underage drinking.

Oberlin Police received a phone call that there was a loud party, and that "a subject was tied to a cross, being whipped," Police Chief Robert Jones said.

When officers responded, they found underage people, both Oberlin students and town residents, drinking outside the house.

Officers stayed until everybody cleared out. "The wealth of the subjects had been drinking," Jones said.

Junior Joshua Kaye, a resident of Banana House, said the police came to the house after an anonymous male called with a complaint. He said the police warned the hosts that they would stand outside the party and check everyone's identification as they left. If they were underage, they would receive a fine as well as Banana House residents.

"In order to keep them from carding everybody, we had to close down the party right away," Kaye said.

Kaye added that it wasn't wooden crosses, but metal laundry poles in a "T" shape, that party attendees were being whipped on.

An Oberlin resident, Joshua Carey, was asked his age and "used obscenity" against the officer, Jones said. He ran from the officer, who chased him down. Carey was arrested for underage drinking, disorderly conduct, failure to disperse and resisting arrest .

Another town resident, Joshua Morris-Bucci, 20, responded to a police request that he leave the party by saying that he would leave once he finished his cigarette. He was arrested for underage drinking, disorderly conduct and failure to disperse.

Jones doesn't think there have been any more incidents of underage drinking and police at parties than normal.

"Nothing appears to be red-flagging that things are escalating off campus," Jones said.