Alcohol Sold To Minor At San Marcos Liquor Store

SAN MARCOS, CA — A liquor store in San Marcos sold alcohol to a minor during a minor decoy sting operations, authorities announced Friday.

Deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, along with agents from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and two minor decoys conducted the operations at five locations and attempted to purchase alcoholic beverages under the direct supervision of peace officers on Thursday, said Sgt. Marcello Orsini of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

At the liquor store where alcohol was sold to the minor decoy, the minor indicated they were underage and could not purchase the alcohol.

A shoulder tap operation was conducted outside a liquor store in San Marcos, with eight adults contacted but none and purchased alcohol for the minor, according to Orsini.

The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service, authorities said.

ABC conducts compliance checks statewide in an attempt to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. Statistics have shown that people under the age of 21 have a higher rate of drunken driving fatalities than the general adult population.

Anyone with information on licensed liquor establishments providing alcohol to minors can call the sheriff's department's non-emergency line at 858-565-5200.

Tipsters wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

— City News Service