Lake Elsinore Sting Targeted People Who Buy Booze For Minors

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Three people were arrested and cited during a weekend sting in Lake Elsinore that targeted people who buy booze for minors.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control conducted the April 13 operation using a decoy who was under age 21.

Standing outside of a retail store, the decoy asked patrons to buy alcohol as undercover law enforcement watched.

"The minor indicates in some way he or she is underage and cannot purchase the alcohol," the sheriff's department explained.

Three people fell for the trap during the sting that law enforcement calls a "shoulder tap" operation.

The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service, according to the sheriff's department.

"Shoulder tap operations hold accountable those who furnish alcohol to minors," said ABC Director Joseph McCullough. "Keeping alcohol away from youth is a priority."

Funding for the program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.