In Davenport, a routine compliance check turned into a stark reminder for store clerks of the seriousness of alcohol sales laws. On Tuesday, a convenience store clerk found himself under arrest after he made an illegal sale of alcohol to a minor. The sales clerk, 45-year-old Daniel Lugo Morales, was working at the 7-Eleven on 1223 Finley Avenue when he sold the alcoholic beverage to the underage customer.
The operation, part of Polk County Sheriff's Office's Operation Pop-Top, aimed to consistently enforce the state law prohibiting alcohol sales to those under the age of 21. Morales was seemingly unaware that the 17-year-old girl was part of the Sheriff's Office Cadet 1000 program and was there specifically to help deputies ensure compliance. Out of the ten stores visited, nine correctly refused to sell alcohol to the young cadet. However, Morales's failure to verify age led to immediately face the consequences.
According to a statement by Polk County Sheriff's Office, Morales was charged with Selling Alcohol to a Person under 21 Years of Age, which is categorized as a misdemeanor. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd highlighted the importance of such compliance checks, stating, "This is very important, and store clerks and their management need to be checking IDs and refusing sales to anyone under 21. These surprise visits are conducted often, so if you're a store employee, it would behoove you to act within the law, or it might be you going to jail next time."
Interestingly, the cadet also tested compliance with another regulated substance. During the same sweep, two smoke shops were visited to verify if they would illegally sell Kratom to the underage decoy. Both establishments passed the test, refusing to make the sale. Kratom, like alcohol, is not allowed to be sold to individuals under 21 years of age.
