Teen buys beer at 8 local stores: Undercover operation conducted by DA’s office
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“The operations were conducted during the past week, with store clerks being approached during daylight hours and at night,” said District Attorney General Dale Potter. “An individual under the age of 21 went into the locations without any ID and was able to purchase beer in Warren County at eight out of almost 30 establishments. This same individual went to eight locations in Van Buren and was able to make purchases at two of the eight locations including one liquor store.”
The agent who conducted the undercover operation is 19 years old and was recruited partially because of his youthful appearance as investigators agreed the teen looked younger than his actual age.
“It was easy,” the agent said of the purchases during an interview with the Southern Standard. “I’d just walk in and lay the beer on the counter and they’d sell it to me.”
Unknown to the clerks, law enforcement officers were waiting outside in a vehicle to take possession of the alcohol and document the sale. Five of the eight Warren County stores sold beer to the operative more than once.
According to Potter, at least one business owner had been warned about selling alcohol to minors but did not heed the warning.
“In McMinnville, Chief Joe Melton had sent officers to warn one store owner last September about the legal requirements of selling alcohol,” Potter said. “This same individual owns stores in other locations in Tennessee, but ignored the warning and continued to sell to minors.”
Along with those who were busted, Potter said there were other locations who were looking for an excuse to sell beer to the operative. However, the teen was told not to lie, but simply to put the beer on the counter and attempt to purchase it.
“One store sold to him and told him to bring the ID with him the next time he was in the store,” Potter said. “Several stores started to sell and thought about it and then requested the ID. A few stores would have sold had the individual said he knew some of the people they asked him about. I was amazed at how hard some stores tried to find a way to sell to the individual.”
Potter noted there were signs in each establishment declaring that the stores checked for identification when buying alcohol.
“Underage sales have become a problem as more and more teenagers are getting access to alcohol,” Potter said. “In Spencer, a fifth of liquor was purchased at A&A liquors even though they had a sign that said ‘We card anyone under 35’ posted in the store.”
The end result will mean the clerks will be cited into court at which time prosecutors will ask for fines to be levied against them and that the court give them probationary sentences. The stores where the alcohol was sold will be reported to their various beer boards for action.
Generally, a first offense brings the choice of a fine or license suspension. Subsequent violations general bring license suspension or revocations.
“It is the responsibility of the store owners and clerks to check identifications,” Potter said. “I was surprised this time at how angry some of those we caught were. One person warned me that it wasn’t the right political thing to do. I guess he thought it was all right to sell to teen-agers.”
The following are the establishments and clerks accused of selling to the agent:
• Stop and Go Market on Old Morrison Road, allegedly sold by Suresh Patel.
• Hillis BP on Old Smithville Highway, allegedly sold by Normelia Patel on two occasions.
• New Smithville Highway Shell Station, allegedly sold by Jennifer Simmons on two occasions.
• North Chancery Shell Station, allegedly sold by Henry William and Lonna Hale on separate occasions
• Lapitas on North Spring Street, allegedly sold by Noel Rasendez and Teodoro Rasendez on separate occasions.
• Westwood Amoco, allegedly sold by Rajesh Kumar on two occasions.
• Tienda Mexicana, allegedly sold by Irene Lopez.
• Country Club Market, allegedly sold by Johnny Saffle.
The following stores and clerks made sales without checking ID in Van Buren County.
• A&A Liquors, allegedly sold by Willette Maynard.
• Skip’s, allegedly sold by Jerry Simons.