Four Cited for Furnishing Alcohol to Minors

Four people were arrested for furnishing alcohol to a minor during joint Minor Decoy and Shoulder Tap Operations with Redlands Police and California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control officers earlier this month. On March 12, police and ABC agents visited 22 licensed alcohol establishments in Redlands conducting a Minor Decoy Operation, which uses minors under the direct supervision of a peace officer to enter a licensed establishment and attempt to buy alcohol, according to a release issued by the city. The operations are designed to help reduce youth access to alcohol. During decoy operations, minor decoys are required to answer truthfully if asked their age and to provide valid identification indicating they are underage to buy alcohol. Police and ABC agents cited clerks at the Chevron station at 120 The Terrace and at Vasquez Market, 1562 Orange St. In addition, both businesses face possible fines or license suspensions from ABC. On March 14, officers conducted a Shoulder Tap operation, using an 18-year-old police explorer. Under the direct supervision of officers the underage decoy stood outside liquor and convenience stores and asked patrons to buy him alcohol, indicating he was underage and could not legally purchase the alcohol. At two of the four businesses visited, adults agreed to purchase alcohol for the minor. Officers arrested 61-year-old Jeffrey Wilson and 38-year-old Richard Poole, according to a release issued by the city. Both were cited for furnishing alcohol to the minor and then released. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service. The undercover and decoy operations targeting businesses and individuals who provide or serve alcohol to minors, businesses that over-serve alcohol or provide narcotics and use of false identifications are funded through an $18,600 grant accepted by the Redlands City Council in November 2014 from the state's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The grant also funds inspections and community education efforts for ABC-licensed businesses, according to the release. According to the release, minor decoy and shoulder tap operations are a part of the Redlands Police Department's Responsible Redlands intitiative, which works to curb issues related to binge and underage drinking in the city.