ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 3, 1996 TAG: 9605030061
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI STAFF WRITER
NOTE: Above
Roanoke police charged 22 clerks at separate convenience stores with selling alcohol to underage patrons Thursday in the culmination of a one-month undercover sting operation.
The operation, which targeted stores in all quadrants of the city, is the largest in recent history directed at illegal alcohol sales, police said.
The charges come during a season when authorities traditionally emphasize the sometimes tragic results of teen-age drinking and driving.
"We're past the point of educating the stores about the problems of underage drinking," said Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Dennis Nagel, who will prosecute the cases.
The focus of the operation was to "punish the stores that willfully sell, because it is clear the stores know about the problem," he said.
Of the 44 stores targeted by the police, half refused to sell to underage patrons.
Police were expecting to finish serving the warrants today.
While the charge is only a Class 1 misdemeanor - punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine - store owners could suffer an even harsher economic penalty. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board may file administrative charges, which could result in punishments ranging from probation or suspension of a store's ABC license up to the loss of the license, said Alice Ratliff, who supervises local ABC agents.
Ratliff said her office is still reviewing the cases with the Roanoke police.
Roanoke's investigation began early last month after the vice bureau received three complaints about store clerks selling to underage patrons. That information and last December's killing of a Roanoke County teacher by a 16-year-old drunken driver underscored the importance of the operation, according to Roanoke Vice Lt. Ron Carlisle.
"We're reflecting on past years where there is often some tragic incident with underage drinking," particularly at this time of year, when schools are holding proms, and graduation parties and summer vacations are approaching, Carlisle said. "This action is a reminder to those responsible for distribution of alcohol that it's a legal requirement not to sell to underage patrons."
Three teen-agers volunteered to work undercover to purchase beer and wine coolers from the stores. The informants - two 18-year-olds and a 19-year-old - were picked because they looked young, Carlisle said. Some stores were chosen because of specific complaints by residents or district patrol officers; others were chosen at random.
Many convenience stores openly display the state law that bars alcohol sales to anyone under 21. Clerks at several of the stores targeted in the sting operation said their stores' alcohol sale policies are made known to employees.
But some clerks said managers rarely monitor compliance with the law, and compliance may depend on an individual clerk's judgment.
The Speedway Deli at 419 13th St. S.W. displays signs that no one may buy alcohol without identification. But a clerk at that store was charged with underage sales, police said.
"You have to go by the looks," said Herman Wright, a cashier at the Village Store at 502 Elm Ave. S.W. where police also charged a clerk.
"I carded one man in here I swore was 15. He was a federal marshal. He dropped by here to have a beer."
Wright said he remembers the last time a clerk at the Old Southwest Roanoke Village Store was charged with selling alcohol to an underage patron. That was eight years ago. The clerk paid a fine, and the store lost its license for a short time, he said.
Hearings in the 22 cases are set for Roanoke General District Court May 29.
Staff writer Christopher Rickett contributed to this story.
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