Stings on horizon for booze peddlers

Businesses that sell alcohol should be prepared for undercover decoys employed by the Carson City Sheriff's Department trying to purchase booze in the coming months.

Gauging the need to bring back the compliance checks of last year, two young-looking 21-year-old women under the direction of deputies went to 41 Carson City businesses on April 15 and kept a tally of who asked for identification and who did not.

Nine of the businesses flunked the test, said Sgt. Bob White. So the compliance checks will begin again.

"This was just a start," he said. "We will be issuing citations next time."

The eight businesses that sold alcohol without checking identification were: Safeway, 2035 N. Carson St.; AM PM Mini Mart, 4340 N. Carson St.; Woody's, 4835 S. Carson St.; Ben's Fine Wine and Spirits, 444 E. William St.; Eagle Gas, 2152 N. Carson St.; Albertsons, 3620 N. Carson St.; Winner's Corner, 1102 N. Carson St.; and Carson City Liquor, 1513 N. Carson St.

Servers and clerks who are cited for serving a minor will be issued a $450 citation for which they are responsible.

There really is no defense to the charge, White said.

"The servers are adults and I don't know of any adult in the state of Nevada who doesn't know what the legal drinking age is," he said.

More than 50 citations were issued during a series of checks last spring and summer.

White said another alcohol compliance seminar is being scheduled for area business owners and their employees as well.

The checks are funded by a grant from the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws Program.

n Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.