One Freedom High cheerleader, pictured in her uniform while dancing with the pole, was dismissed from the squad.

Steve Russo sure knows how to throw a party; he just needs to play with people his own age.
Police say Russo enjoyed DJ-ing the parties. According to court documents, his 17-year-old son drank so much at the December bash, he threw up.

A neighbor said it was common knowledge that Russo had a stripper pole in the basement. He threw lots of parties. She says people on the block had no idea they were for teens.
Russo hosted some wild parties for his 17-year-old son’s teenaged friends. The court documents read more like a Forum story straight out of Penthouse magazine.

The invites for the December romp went to a group of 14 to 16-year-olds, girls and boys, from Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Pa. Court documents on The Smoking Gun say Russo, apparently quite the storyteller, let the teens drink vodka, rum and beer while he entertained them with tales of his sexual exploits.

That’s the G-rated part.

The partiers, along with Dad (Hmmm. Arrested development?) mingled in the basement of Russo’s Bethlehem Township home, where he keeps his featured attraction, a stripper’s pole, according the police.

With music playing, Dad allegedly shouted at some of the teenaged girls who were dressed in cheerleader outfits, to “Get on that pole!”

One of the teens told police Russo, 36, also has a room for hook-ups on the second floor called “the cave.” They said the house was a popular hangout. The Express-Times has a great write-up on this part of the story.

The fun fizzled when a teacher from Freedom High School took some Facebook pix of the party to police.

Russo’s been arrested and charged with nine counts of endangering the welfare of children, eight counts of furnishing alcohol to minors and nine counts of corruption of minors.
By JD MALONEThe Express-Times
BETHLEHEM TWP. | Police say a 36-year-old township man furnished Freedom High School students with alcohol and coaxed teenage girls clad in cheerleader outfits to dance on a "stripper" pole in the basement of his home.

Steven A. Russo, of the 2400 block of 15th Street, allowed his now 17-year-old son, also a Freedom student, to invite at least eight other students, ranging in ages from 14 to 16, to his home Dec. 12, according to court papers.

The teens allegedly listened to Russo spin tales about his sexual exploits and drank vodka, rum and beer he gave them. They also mingled in the basement while he played music and shouted, "Get on that pole," according to a criminal complaint filed by Bethlehem Township police at the office of District Judge Joseph Barner.

Also according to court documents:

Freedom High School teacher Carrie McAndrews approached police with photos from the alleged party Feb. 4 and cheerleading coach Alicia Zito told police she was shown photos by a member of the squad culled from the social networking site Facebook.

The photos show teenage girls using the "stripper" pole while dancing and two girls kissing Russo on his face.

Zito told police one girl in the photos wearing a Freedom cheerleading outfit while dancing with the pole was dismissed from the squad.

The students identified in the photos said they had been to Russo's many times and the house was known as a place to hang out and drink -- one said "a lot" of kids were at the house that night.

The girls said Russo did not try anything with them, but encouraged one 16-year-old as she removed her shirt during the Dec. 12 party.

One teen mentioned Russo's house has a room called "the cave" on the second floor where people have sex. One boy claimed he was there that night because another teen planned to have sex and he was "hooking up," with one of the other girls. The boy said they left after his friend was finished.
A 14-year-old girl said she drank Red Bull and vodka at the party and Russo's son became sick from excessive consumption. She later sneaked out of the house with a friend because "the rule is that if you drink alcohol there you have to sleep over because (Russo) doesn't want to get in trouble ..."

The 14-year-old also told police after Russo's 4-year-old son -- asleep upstairs during the party -- wet his bed, she and another girl changed the sheets.

A trim man with dark hair who answered the door at Russo's home Friday said Russo wasn't there.

Russo was charged with nine counts of endangering the welfare of children, eight counts of furnishing alcohol to minors and nine counts of corruption of minors.

He was released following his arraignment before Barner after posting 10 percent of $2,500 bail.

Bethlehem Area School District officials said Russo has no affiliation with the district.

Russo also faces charges stemming from an incident in October. Police allege Russo stalked the mother of his son, Jessica Clapso, from the Northampton County Courthouse to Bethlehem Township, cursed at her and resisted arrest Oct. 29.

He was charged with stalking, resisting arrest, harassment and disorderly conduct. He posted $15,000 bail in that case and is awaiting trial in county court.