UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - A Utica man charged over the weekend with serving alcohol to minors at a party at Pistol Pete's says he's innocent...and not even associated with the business. However, he is a registered level-two sex offender.

Utica Police said former City of Utica Public Works Commissioner Steven Patterson, along with Willie Walker, hosted an underage drug and alcohol party at Pistol Pete's on Nichols Street, serving teens as young as 14.

Police said they found intoxicated teens throughout the business, as well as a teen passed out in a room above the establishment.

Walker, one of the men working at business at the time is a level-two sex offender convicted in 2001 for the rape of a 14 year old girl. He insists he is not an employee and has no formal association with the business. According to Walker, he was just helping out at the business.

"Mr. Paterson is a good friend of mine," Walker said. "Yes, I do come down and help open the door, clean up, everything else. But it is not my business, I do not own this business. I haven't had a business in the City of Utica in years."

Police said that they were investigating a complaint of a disorderly group and loud noise when they saw a juvenile fall down the flight of stairs which leads to the second floor of the establishment. According to a press release issued by police, Patterson tried to stop officers when they attempted to treat the juvenile and was subsequently arrested. Police also said that while being treated, they discovered the injured teen to be highly intoxicated, which was confirmed with a positive breath test on an Alcosensor.

According to Walker, when police arrived on the scene, he was outside and told them that a young woman was hosting the party and soon after Paterson closed up the building. Walker claims he and Paterson were arrested hours later by Utica Police. He believes the charges were in retaliation for a $6 million lawsuit Patterson had recently filed against the City of Utica for harassment.

"No one has ever gotten arrested until recently...Mr. Paterson filed a 6 million dollar lawsuit against the city," Walker said. "Out of all these incidents, these so called calls, no one has ever been arrested."

Utica Police have said the claims that Patterson is being targeted have no merit. Police said the area is a "hot spot," and that they have responded to at least 177 calls to the area since the beginning of the year.

Despite the claims that someone else may have been hosting the party, authorities said that the allowance of such activities by minors at the establishment have led to a portion of the charges. Police Chief Dan LaBella said that any business in the City of Utica that harms children by providing them with or permitting them to consume alcohol will not be tolerated and that the UPD will be vigilant in monitoring and prosecuting these establishments.

Stephen Patterson, 46, of Utica, is charged with:

*Obstructing governmental administration
*Unlawfully dealing with a child
*Endangering the welfare of a child
*Consumption on premise without a license
*Criminal nuisance
*Harassment
*Cabaret
*General noise prohibited

Willie Walker, 43, of Utica, has been charged with:

*Unlawfully dealing with a child
*Consumption on premise without a license
*Criminal nuisance
*Cabaret
*General noise prohibited

Walker, 43, was convicted in 2001 and sentenced to 18 months to three years in prison for the rape of a 14 year old girl. His sex offender record shows that he has also gone by the alias of Steuben Walker.