Man charged with furnishing alcohol in Auburn teen’s death

AUBURN – The death of an 18-year-old Auburn man has led to the arrest of a man accused of providing him with alcohol.

Adam Beggs, a 2007 graduate of Edward Little High School, was found unresponsive early Saturday morning in a Granite Street apartment, police said. He was transported to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, where he was pronounced dead.

Larando Sweetling, 23, of Auburn was arrested on a charge of furnishing alcohol to a minor, unsworn falsification and violation of conditions of release.

There had been a party at the apartment, according to Sgt. Eric Audette, and “everybody at the gathering knew each other.” He would not say how much alcohol Beggs consumed, noting that the case remained under investigation.

After being arrested in September on charges of gross sexual assault and abuse of a minor, Sweetling was released on bail on condition that he refrain from consuming alcohol and not commit any crimes, Audette said.

Sweetling was being held Sunday in the Androscoggin County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail.

Police said providing alcohol to a minor jumps from a Class D misdemeanor to a Class C felony when the minor’s consumption results in serious bodily injury or death.

The investigation into Beggs’ death was continuing.

Beggs was remembered by an administrator at Edward Little as a kind person who would listen to other students’ problems.

“I knew him real well. He was a wonderful, unique kid. I had great conversations with him. He was creative and liked being different,” Assistant Principal Leslie Morrill said.

Beggs had signed up to study computers at Central Maine Community College, Morrill said, “but it didn’t work out for him at the time.”