Update: Immigration detains fired Notre Dame athletic director charged with supplying alcohol to minors



Former Notre Dame athletic director Anthony Creece, 39, of Stroudsburg has been charged with supplying underage girls with alcohol at a sleepover in the school gym.

September 18, 2009
EAST STROUDSBURG — Charged with supplying alcohol to minors, fired Notre Dame High School athletic director Anthony Creece is now being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Pike County Correctional Facility due to a discrepancy in his immigration records, according to Stroud Area Regional Police.

The Pike County jail has a contract to house federal detainees.

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Fired Notre Dame athletic director charged with supplying alcohol to girls UPDATE: Former Notre Dame AD charged with providing alcohol to minors Notre Dame AD fired; field hockey coach suspended Creece, 39, a Trinidad native, turned himself in and was arraigned this morning by East Stroudsburg Magisterial District Judge Michael Muth on charges of corrupting minors and selling or furnishing liquor, malt or brewed beverages to minors. Muth released Creece on $5,000 unsecured bail, after which Creece was interviewed by ICE agents and then taken to Pike County.

Represented by attorney James Swetz, Creece is scheduled to appear on the charges involving the minors in district court at a future date. Muth will apply to recuse himself from hearing the case because he coaches basketball at Notre Dame, a conflict of interest.

Creece, 39, is accused of supplying six girls with alcohol at a sleepover in the gym of the high school, on Aug. 29. The girls were 14 to 17 years old.

According to the police affidavit of probable cause, six girls planned a camp-out on the grounds of the high school on Aug. 29. But because of bad weather, Creece unlocked the school and gave permission to Eileen Hines, the school's field hockey coach, to allow the group of girls to stay overnight in the school, under his supervision. The girls ranged between 14 to 17 years in age.

During the day, according to the affidavit, one of the girls asked Creece to buy some cherry vodka alcohol, and he agreed. Creece purchased the vodka at East Stroudsburg Wine and Spirits and brought the vodka to the school. He then told the girl it was in his car and she could bring it into the school. Creece left the school grounds and returned to his apartment on North Ninth Street, leaving the girls alone at the gym.

Creece admitted to buying the vodka, according to the affidavit, bringing it to the school, and leaving the six girls unsupervised for the sleepover. And he did this, it said, while being aware of the girls' ages and that they would have access to the alcohol.

The police first learned about the incident after they were contacted by a relative of one of the girls at the sleepover, according to Stroud Area Regional Police Lt. Brian Kimmins.

Diocese of Scranton spokesman Bill Genello confirmed earlier this week that Creece had been fired, but did not state the reason. Hines, the field hockey coach, has been suspended.

Besides serving as athletic director, Creece was also the boys and girls soccer coach at the school.

Creece won three letters at East Stroudsburg University and was a star player for the soccer team. He was an All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference first team defender in 1991-1992 and a second team selection in 1992-1993. He also worked as an assistant coach with New Jersey Tech, and is the assistant coach of the semi-pro Pocono Snow soccer team.

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