It was the early morning of Feb. 25, just over a year ago, that Sean Humphrey was found lying intoxicated and unconscious, partially frozen to the pavement of Geske Road.

Humphrey, 19, who had been at a Chaska party earlier in the evening, was brought to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he later died.

Four people were later charged with crimes in connection with Humphrey’s death.

Today, the last of these four pleaded guilty. Joshua Julien, of Excelsior, pleaded guilty to a felony count of providing alcohol to a minor who died as a result of intoxication, according Assistant Carver County Attorney Mike Wentzell.

The sentence requires Julien to serve 90 days in jail; Perform 40 hours of community service; and pay $382 in fines and surcharges, Wentzell said.

Prosecutors had asked for six months in jail, but were “happy with the result none-the-less,” Wentzell said.

Humphrey was one of two underage men to die in the last couple years, following a night of heavy drinking.

In 2006, David Schmitt was found dead in a pond near a keg party in rural Cologne. Micah Guthland, of Waconia, was sentenced to six months in jail for furnishing alcohol at an underage drinking party linked to the death.

“We’ve had two young men die in the past (20) months from drinking-related cases. In both cases, they were underage and someone purchased alcohol for them,” Wentzel said. “But for that, they might still be alive. So that’s something we really take seriously.”

Other charges

Had Julien not pleaded guilty to the charges, the attorney’s office would have prepared for a summer jury trial, Wentzell said. With numerous witnesses, it would have been an “extensive trail,” he said.

The other three individuals charged in connection with Humphrey’s death have worked their way through the court system.

Kirk Anderson, of Chaska, pleaded guilty to furnishing alcohol to a minor and served 10 days in jail.

Two Chaska individuals who allegedly threw a party Humphrey attended, had misdemeanor charges of providing alcohol to a minor dismissed last fall.

Social Host

“People need to get the idea that when you purchase alcohol for a minor, there are lots of risks that can happen,” Wentzell said. “Drinking and driving accident; chemical dependency problem; (or) some other accident, such in this case. The reason we’re focusing on aggressively prosecuting these cases is to get the word out that you just can’t be providing alcohol to underage people because it’s too risky,” Wentzell said.

Humphrey’s death has been frequently cited as the rationale the city of Chaska passed a social host ordinance last year. The ordinance prohibits anyone from providing a venue for underage drinking within the city.