Photo: Stock Image
Originally Published By: Nevada County Sheriff’s Office
“The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) and agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) arrested two suspects on Dec. 21, 2023 for furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors. The operation was conducted in Penn Valley, Grass Valley, and Auburn.
ABC agents and local law enforcement conducted a Shoulder Tap operation, which targets adults who purchase alcohol for persons under the age of 21. A minor under the direct supervision of law enforcement stands outside of a liquor or convenience store and asks customers to buy them alcohol. The minor also indicates they are underage and cannot purchase the alcohol.
“Underage drinking harms our community. Preventing the sale of alcohol to minors will help to increase public safety and make our roads safer,” said NCSO Sergeant Andrew Liller.
If an adult agrees to purchase alcohol for the underage person, they can be arrested and cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.
“We conduct these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth,” said ABC Director Joe McCullough. “By preventing underage drinking we can increase the quality of life in our communities and reduce DUIs.”
Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a much higher risk of being involved in a crash than older drivers. About 25 percent of fatal crashes involve underage drinking, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the ABC Alcohol Policing Partnership program.”
