GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - More than two dozen teens were busted for underage drinking over the weekend at Mesa County District Attorney Pete Hautzinger's home.

Twenty-six teens, ages 14 to 19, were given tickets for minor in possession of alcohol Saturday after police broke up a party that officials say got out of control.

Hautzinger has confirmed to 11 News that two of those teens are his sons and that the party took place at his home while he was out of town on vacation.

Deputy District Attorney and Mesa County Underage Drinking Task Force member Trish Mahre says underage drinking is a big problem in the Grand Valley.

"I think it continues to be a problem and I think parents are learning a little bit more about the role they play in protecting their kids," says Mahre.

Hautzinger is experiencing that right now. He says his sons were supposed to be staying with relatives while he and his wife went on vacation but Saturday night, they broke the rules and threw a party at his house. He says from what he understands, several kids showed up uninvited and things got out of hand to the point that police were called.

In an email to 11 News, Hautzinger writes, "My kids will face the music in court, then at home with me upon our return. My wife and I would like to publicly thank whichever of our neighbors called the Grand Junction Police Department. Otherwise, we might never have known."

The District Attorney's office says it hopes these 26 teens, or any other kids who find themselves in situations with alcohol, use this as a learning experience. "You know, kids can't always think through the legal consequences," Mahre says.

Mahre says possession or consumption of alcohol by a minor can lead to misdemeanor charges on your record, a fine of up to $250, up to 24 hours of community service, mandatory alcohol classes or alcohol treatment, and suspension of your driver's license. Officials also point out that just because a teen doesn't drink at a party with alcohol, it doesn't mean they can't face charges.

"Technically, under the law possession does not mean they need to be consuming it," says Mahre. "It means that they exercise some type of dominion or control over the area where the liquor is located."

Officials say those things should be the least of teens' worries. Every year, the DA's Office is brought cases where kids who made poor decisions about alcohol paid with their lives.

With the stakes so high, Mahre says it's important for parents to play a role in discouraging their teens from drinking. "I think it's important that parents be in tune with their kids and have conversations with kids," she says.

She also says it's important to know where their kids are going, to communicate with the parents of the friends they're hanging out with, to make sure there is always some type of supervision at parties, and to wait up for their kids to come home at night. She says that's because Saturday's case shows it doesn't matter even if you're the District Attorney, underage drinking is still an issue all parents have to deal with.

"I think Pete is a good example of the frustrations that parents have when they give their children opportunities to exercise good choices and then have some trust broken in regard to that," says Mahre. "I have no doubt that any parent involved in this situation will use this as an opportunity to create awareness of the hazards associated with it and try to use it as a good educational experience for the kids involved."

All 26 teens involved in the case were given municipal court summons, which means Hautzinger or the District Attorney's Office would not be involved in any of the proceedings.