Iowa woman gets suspended jail sentence after holding party during lockdown

An Iowa woman who pleaded guilty to a public health violation after hosting a party during the coronavirus pandemic has been sentenced to a year of probation with a suspended 10-day jail sentence, local outlet WOI reported Friday.

Charity Snavely, 38, was originally sentenced to serve the jail time after she threw a party on May 23 that violated Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’s (R) ban on gatherings of more than 10 people to stem the spread of COVID-19. 

Police said that Snavely also served alcohol at the party to 13 minors, though WOI reports that court documents show those charges were dismissed.

States across the country experienced coronavirus surges following Memorial Day weekend, around the same time that Snavely held her party. 

Many states began reopening around that time for the holiday, and public health experts believe that Memorial Day festivities have led to an increase in COVID-19 cases. 

The state of Iowa has more than 33,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to its coronavirus dashboard. Overall the U.S. has more than 3 million confirmed cases, and more than 133,000 deaths as of Friday afternoon.