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MIDDAY UPDATE: 4 students plead guilty to providing alcohol for Bay City teen who drowned

April 25, 2002

Four female MSU students plead guilty today to providing alcohol to an 18-year-old Bay City man who drowned in the Red Cedar River in October.

Nicole Bukowski, 21; Cassandra Duggan, 20; Laurel Trezise, 20; and Sara Kaufman, 21; were originally charged with running an unlicensed bar at a party at their East Lansing apartment that Eric Blair attended. That charge, a felony, could have called for up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Today prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed to a lesser charge of providing alcohol to a minor. It’s a misdemeanor that carries up to 60 days in jail, a $1,000 fine and community service.

Ingham County Assistant Prosecutor Joyce Dragunchuk said the four females agreed to plead guilty after 54-B District Court Judge Richard Ball said he would not sentence the girls to any jail time.

“We wanted people treated consistently and fairly,” Draganchuk said. “It was consistent that the man we charged ended up with this charge.”

Nicholaus Belski is being charged with providing alcohol to a minor, as Blair was allegedly at Belski’s Holden Hall dorm room before heading to the party.

Blair, a Delta College student, was found in the Red Cedar River on Oct. 23 near Shaw Hall and Bogue Street. His blood-alcohol level was .14, above the Michigan legal limit of .10.

For more information on this article, see Friday’s edition of The State News.

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