A routine check on alcohol sales compliance among convenience stores in Bartow and Mulberry resulted in an arrest last week. The Polk County Sheriff's Office conducted checks as part of their ongoing Operation Pop-Top campaign, during which officers work together with an underage high school student—part of the PCSO's Cadet 1000 program—who attempts to purchase alcohol to test the establishments.
In a recent operation on August 14, an employee at the RaceTrac store on 1690 N. Broadway Avenue in Bartow was caught selling alcohol to an underage student. The sales clerk, 28-year-old Dashara Cora, was charged with a misdemeanor for the sale to a person under 21 years of age. This arrest casts a light on a persistent issue of alcohol being sold to minors despite clear laws against it.
"The law is clear, there is to be no the sales of alcohol to anyone under the age of 21-years of age. Stores and their employees know this, but the don't always obey that law. This is why we do these checks," Sheriff Grady Judd said, highlighting the importance of such operations in enforcing legal alcohol sales. According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the checks are meant to ensure that businesses comply with state laws.
Of the nine convenience stores checked by the PCSO that day, only the RaceTrac store failed the compliance operation. The success of the remaining stores in adhering to the regulations underscores the responsibility businesses must take in preventing underage alcohol sales. Besides the legal repercussions for individuals who sell alcohol to minors, there is broader community concern over the access to alcohol by youth. In light of the arrest, the PCSO continues to send a strong message about the gravity of such offenses.
