Eight businesses cited for selling booze to minors

Eight Carson Valley businesses were cited for selling alcohol to a minor during a compliance check, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office reported.

The compliance check, required by county ordinance, was performed between 5-9 p.m. Nov. 29 at 20 businesses.

Deputies gave fictitious identification cards to two 17-year-old Caucasian females. One card consisted of an expired Oregon driver's license, tattered, peeling and obviously tampered with showing the holder to be a 29-year-old female.

The second ID was a Texas driver's license of a 26-year-old African American female.

Prior to the compliance check, the District Attorney's office authorized use of the minors and the identification which was easily recognizable as fictitious, said sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tom Mezzetta.

The eight establishments that failed the compliance check were the Riverview 7-Eleven, Barney's Drive Thru, J&M Mini-Mart, Good Sense Mini-Mart, Silver City RV, Mica Chevron, World Market and the Johnson Lane Store.

The clerks who sold the alcohol to the minors each received a $632 criminal citation for which they were personally responsible.

The liquor license held by the business is subject to suspension or revocation should there be three violations within two years, Mezzetta said.

Businesses that refused to sell alcohol to the minors were Lampe Chevron, Carson Valley Market, Carson Country Market, Tillman 7-Eleven, Ranchos 98 Cents & More, PJ's Liquor, Lucky Liquor, Scolari's, Raley's, Smith's, Sierra Nevada Trading Co. and Wal-Mart.

"Sheriff (Ron) Pierini and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office will continue in their efforts to combat underage drinking by conducting alcohol compliance checks," Mezzetta said. "Techniques focus on businesses as well as private individuals who may procure or provide alcohol to someone under 21."

Mezzetta said the alcohol sale compliance checks are made with a grant from the Nevada Juvenile Justice Commission.