Undercover decoys net alcohol sales arrests in San Bernardino
SAN BERNARDINO – Police arrested two female store clerks on March 8 for suspicion of selling alcohol to underage youths, part of an undercover operation designed to curb the sales to minors.
Gladis Jasmin Perez, 30, and Mirna Contreras, 35, were arrested by San Bernardino police for selling to minors who were working with police as decoy targets, according to a police spokesman.
The citywide operation netted suspects at two businesses – Perez, at the Amigo Market at 1602 W. Highland Ave., and Contreras at Golden Gas at 1198 E. Highland Ave.
Lt. Paul Williams said on Monday the Alcohol Beverage Control Decoy enforcement unit sent minors into 12 establishments citywide. Ten of the establishments, he said, refused to sell alcohol to the minors.
The two suspects, he said, “were issued citations for violation of Business and Professions Code regulations. Williams cited statistics that young people under age 21 have a higher rate of drunken driving fatalities than the general adult population, resulting in the undercover operation.
“The program is run several times a month,” said Williams, adding that the undercover operation was funded by an ABC grant. “We do vary our times and days.”
The idea, said Williams, is to raise public awareness of alcohol sales to minors. Each of the 12 businesses that were targeted in the undercover operation was licensed establishments by ABC.
Individuals, including Perez and Contreras, face a minimum fine of $250 and possibly community service for the first violation of selling to minors. ABC also takes administrative action against the licensees of the business, which could include fines, suspension of licenses or even permanent revocations of the license.
