WORK BEGINS ON ECSTASY CASE AFTER HBO FILM

Calaveras County authorities face a couple of problems in bringing criminal
charges against a man who was shown on television sharing his love for the
drug ecstasy with his teen-age children.

The footage for "Small Town Ecstasy," shown on HBO on Sunday night, was
shot up to two years ago. And most of the raves and drug-infused parties in
the film were outside the county.

Still, county officials said they are considering child endangerment
charges against Scott Meyers of Mokelumne Hill.

"We are probably a few days away from being able to say if something is
going to be filed or not," Sheriff Dennis Downum said.

"The most obvious charge is child endangerment. There is a lot of talk
about him taking ecstasy and lot of admissions about selling drugs."

As the camera focused on Meyers on Sunday night -- as he reveled at parties
and discussed the joys of ecstasy with his children -- Downum, District
Attorney Jeff Tuttle and child protection officials were riveted to the
screen, hoping to glean leads.

Officials said they cannot bring charges based on the film alone. They need
independent evidence, and they need help from other jurisdictions.

The most incriminating scenes, Downum said, were of a party at a Sacramento
apartment, where Meyers is shown reveling with three of his children.

During the party, Meyers' youngest son and his daughter, then believed to
be 13 and 15, take ecstasy on camera.

Officials believe that Meyers' son, Craig, then 18, threw the party, and
they are hoping to talk with people who were there.

Monday, county officials asked the Sacramento Police Department for assistance.

"We have a couple of investigators designated to work with Calaveras County
on this," said Lt. Daniel Hahn, spokesman for Sacramento police.

Scott Meyers, the son of a well-known retired minister in Calaveras County,
was once known as a law-abiding resident and responsible father until
hitting a midlife crisis two years ago.

About that time, he and his wife were divorced -- the mother now has
custody of the underage children.

Allison Grodner, the supervising producer of the film, has said the film
crew met Meyers and his son, then 18, at a dance at the fairgrounds in
Angels Camp.

The son had introduced his father to the drug, and father and son agreed to
let the film crew come along as they attended raves in San Francisco and Chico.

The film created a stir at Calaveras High School in San Andreas, where
Craig Meyers was a standout on the wrestling team only two years ago.

"It was difficult to watch," said wrestling coach Vince Bicocca. "I was
pretty close to Craig when he was here at Calaveras. It sounds like he was
making some bad decisions. Although it seems as though he has straightened
up and is trying to do the right thing now."

The producers have said the film does not glorify ecstasy but is intended
to convey a strong anti-drug message.

According to the closing narrative, Craig Meyers has been drug-free for a
year. The district attorney said, however, that Scott Meyers does not
appear contrite on screen.

"My foremost reaction is concern for the children and for their well-
being," Tuttle said. "My other reaction is the lack of recognition by the
father that what he was doing was wrong."

County authorities have tried for about 18 months to get copies of footage
shot for the film, but the producers have refused.

County authorities arrested Scott Meyers in November 2000, charging him
with possessing a small amount of ecstasy. Last month, Meyers pleaded
guilty to a misdemeanor and was referred to a diversion program. He could
not be reached for comment Monday.

Ecstasy has become a leading health and law enforcement concern because of
studies showing it causes depression and paranoia and possibly leads to
brain damage.

Downum said he expects a decision on filing new charges in three to four days.