Stanislaus County prosecutors said Monday they will file charges against two California State University, Stanislaus, students accused of providing alcohol to high school students visiting the Turlock campus.

University police said the students provided alcohol to a minor, a misdemeanor. Assistant District Attorney Carol Shipley said charges likely will be filed this week.

The two have since been evicted from the on-campus dorms.

David Warner, 19, a sophomore from Hollister, was kicked out Monday. Freshman Thomas Lyons, 18, from San Jose, said he was given three hours to move out March 8, the day after the incident.

The party took place during a university-sponsored event aimed at recruiting high school students to Stanislaus.

For the last four years, the university has invited high school students who are likely candidates to be incoming freshmen to visit the Turlock campus. The student visitors sleep in the dorms -- on the floor and on couches in sleeping bags. About 90 students attended this year, said Fred Edmondson, vice president for student affairs.

"Basically, we were just trying to show them a good time," said Lyons, who hopes to become a veterinarian. "They all wanted to drink, too. … I just think the university is going a bit far with this."

Lyons said a 21-year-old student bought the alcohol and brought it to Lyons' room.

"All I provided really was like a place to drink," Lyons said.

No similar incidents in past

Warner, who plans to study music, said students normally get two chances when it comes to alcohol-related violations. He and Lyons, he said, got just one.

"I guess because it had to do with a minor," he said.

Edmondson said that may be the reason. "At the same time, it depends on the severity of the case," he said.

The director of student housing oversees the annual recruiting event. Student resident advisors supervise. There have been no similar incidents in the past at this event, Edmondson said.

Resident advisers discovered the unauthorized party in Lyons' dorm room and called university police, who arrived about 12:40 a.m. March 8, said Steve Jaureguy, chief of university police.

"One of the minors was heavily intoxicated," he said. "He was lying on the couch."

Police were not certain how much the 17-year-old San Carlos boy had to drink, so they had him transported to a local hospital as a precaution, Jaureguy said. His mother came from San Carlos to take him home.

Students who were with the boy the night of March 7 said he was conscious, but had gotten sick.

Warner and Lyons also were drinking that night, police said. Even so, the district attorney's office advised university police to file only on the furnishing charge, Jaureguy said.

"They didn't feel there was enough (evidence) in our case to pursue minors in possession," Jaureguy said.

Besides the San Carlos teen- ager, police said, three other underage youths had been drinking, including Guiseppe Trombatore, 18, of Redding, Aaron Briones, 18, of Isleton and a 17-year-old from Burson.

One other student, Jordan Mayer, 18, of Turlock, reportedly was there but had not been drinking.

Police said witnesses led them to Warner, who was identified as also having been in the room at the time.

"We were able to connect him to furnishing and providing alcohol to the minors that were there," Jaureguy said.

Lyons and Warner said Monday they don't think the university is treating them fairly.

Lyons said he was rushed to leave the on-campus Village housing. Luckily, he said, his friend's girlfriend's sister let him sleep on her couch for a night. Since then he's found a room to rent near the university while he waits to find out whether he will be suspended from school.

A judicial officer in student affairs is reviewing the matter. The students' fate could take two weeks or more to determine, Edmondson said.

Reached in Redding, Trombatore said his decision to attend Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo is no reflection on what happened during his visit to Stanislaus.

"They wanted to throw a party for us to show us a good time, I guess. I had a good time," he said. "Most of the guys did. I don't think they deserve to get kicked out of the dorms for that."

In a statement, Stanislaus State President Marvalene Hughes said the university has a "zero tolerance policy regarding alcohol abuse, underage drinking and any resulting unacceptable behavior."

Students have mixed feelings

Freshmen, and any students under the legal drinking age, are prohibited from drinking on campus. Students who are 21 or older can drink alcohol in their rooms, Edmondson said.

Parents who learned of the incident were concerned, Edmondson said, but they appreciated the quick action taken by the university.

"They've been real positive for the most part," he said. "I've had parents specifically say they still want to send their students to the university. They understand that you can't be every place at the same time."

Cecilia Cardeiro of Newman, who was visiting her son in the dorms Monday, said the incident "doesn't really look good.

"As a parent, if it's a recruitment and I'm sending my child -- a minor -- I would want whatever he's exposed to to be positive, not negative," she said.

Students have mixed feelings on the matter.

"I know some of the people, but at the same time, rules are rules," said Lauren Balthazar, 19, who lives in the dorms.

Neighbors of Warner and Lyons said they are well-liked. One, 19-year-old Mesret Teshager, said they don't deserve to be kicked out.

"They're pretty nice guys," she said. "Everyone's entitled to make mistakes."