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3 arrested, 3 cited in undercover alcohol sting

By News-Sentinel Staff
Saturday, May 19, 2007 7:29 AM PDT

Comments (20 comment(s))

In response to a teenage girl's near-death from drinking alcohol in Downtown Lodi, police on Friday conducted an undercover sting aimed at both stores and adults.

Officers arrested three people for buying alcohol for minors and cited three businesses for selling to minors, Sgt. Steven Price said.

Investigators had been planning an operation with the Alcohol Beverage Control for sometime this summer, but moved up the plans after a 13-year-old girl was found nearly unconscious earlier this month, Price said.

The girl's blood-alcohol content level was more than five times the legal adult driving level of 0.08 percent, and doctors said she likely would have died if someone hadn't called police. Officers found the girl in an alley near the movie theater at Pine and School streets, and she was taken to Lodi Memorial Hospital, then to an intensive care unit in Sacramento. The girl has since recovered.

On Friday, teenagers wore surveillance equipment and went to the Downtown area, a popular gathering place for youths. They asked adults to buy alcohol, and within about two hours three people were arrested, Price said. Names were not immediately available.

Earlier in the day, the youths entered 22 businesses, and three clerks agreed to sell alcohol to them. The businesses were Smart and Final, 215 E. Lodi Ave.; El Molcajete Market, 360 E. Lodi Ave.; and Bill's 76 gas station, 633 E. Victor Road. The clerks were cited, and ABC will conduct further investigations, Price said.

Police will likely conduct more stings throughout the summer to remind adults not to supply alcohol to those under the age of 21, he said.

Reader Feedback

to scuba steve wrote on May 24, 2007 12:45 AM:

" The responsibility goes to the owner. Lodian is right. You are backpedaling, but whatever. You sounded like an idiot so you corrected yourself when you were called on it. Good boy. Also, this selling to minors was an action, not a belief. The actions of the store have repercussions that matter to all of us...or they should matter. Some people like you don't really care about this kind of thing so maybe you should just go shopping and leave all this to the adults. "

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scuab steve wrote on May 23, 2007 1:20 PM:

" Let me make what I meant to say clear.I meant I dont care if the owner of a store is a pro-abortion,satanic nazi as long as he doesnt promote it in the store then its not my bussiness so the stores morals really dont matter to me.The employee on the other hand I do have a problem with but as long as the store took action against him then why should we be mad at the store.Hold the individuals responcible for their own actions! "

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Lodian wrote on May 23, 2007 10:47 AM:

" That Lodi Guy: How is it different? It goes to the integrity of the store, how it is run, what they deem as important and morally responsible. Steve's comment, "if a store has good prices and is a good place to shop then what they do with other customers doesn't matter" should be challenged with a question on another moral and legal issue in trying to appeal to his common sense. "

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Lodian wrote on May 23, 2007 10:37 AM:

" scuba steve: It's your right to back-peddle, but your original comment still stands and shows your ignorance of how and what actually effects you and yours. "

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That Lodi Guy wrote on May 22, 2007 8:14 PM:

" Lodian, that's completely different. He's talking about shopping there even though they (or at least one employee) sell alcohol to minors. You're talking about them discriminating AGAINST people. "

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scuba steve wrote on May 22, 2007 6:33 PM:

" Yes I admit it was a shallow comment.It was worded badly thats why I corrected my self with my following comments. "

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Lodian wrote on May 22, 2007 11:20 AM:

" scuba steve: I agree that your comment was very shallow "...what they do with other customers doesn't matter. Unless its directly effecting me and mine then I'm going to continue shopping there". Where do you draw the line? If a store wouldn't sell to a particular minority or persons of certain religious affiliations, would you still shop there because the price is cheap? "

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scuba steve wrote on May 22, 2007 10:03 AM:

" Like I said as long as the store took action against the employee(s) that sold the alcohol to minors then why boycott the store? Its not like they have a way to screen people and see who is gonna sell to minors and who wont.I've been in interviews for many places like this.As long as you tell them what they want to hear,have no record,a little cashier experience and can pass a drug test you got the job "

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Lodian wrote on May 21, 2007 9:46 AM:

" scuba steve: It is directly effecting you if the store sells alcohol to minors. It effects all of us. "

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Scuba steve wrote on May 21, 2007 2:03 AM:

" As long as the company fired the employee who sold to minors then there is no reason to boycott is what Im trying to get at.And drinking and driving is stupid no matter how old you are.I can just as easy get hit by a drunk driver over 21.Trust me my friend almost got hit by a drunk driver over 21 last year so think of a better arguement. "

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a concerned lodian wrote on May 20, 2007 11:45 PM:

" why is it that every time something bad happens in lodi the investagators or for that matter anyone in charge had been planning to.maybe the people in charge need to stop making so many plans and start some direct action "

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Lynndy wrote on May 20, 2007 8:04 PM:

" I must say that it's not a good thing to sell alcohol to minors at all. There must be consequences, but I'm sure no one forced that girl to drink what she did. teenagers need to take responsibility for what they do. Glad things turned out OK this time. "

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adult wrote on May 20, 2007 12:45 PM:

" And most want to hang the teenagers for getting the booze and getting drunk, but it's the adults that supply the booze. Who should we hang? Teenagers always get their booze from adults! Adults and parents need to take responsibility for this and be charged with a crime and actually get more than a slap on the wrist. People get outraged at teenage drinking but they need to look in the mirror! "

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to scuba steve wrote on May 20, 2007 12:36 AM:

" that's a very shallow attitude. don't you feel you are a part of a community? what if you are the one hit by the teen driver that's drunk from all that booze they got a hold of...do you still think it doesn't matter to you? think outside your own little world. "

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scuba steve wrote on May 19, 2007 6:12 PM:

" in responce to "very sad to read".I think if a store has good prices and is a good place to shop then what they do with other customers doesnt matter.Unless its directly effecting me and mine then I'm going to continue shopping there "

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Max Stanfield wrote on May 19, 2007 2:37 PM:

" Businesses should know better and deserve to get whackked. At 18, I was the designated buyer for my dorm. I always went to the biggest supermarket and was never asked for ID. Things have changed in 20 years, altho maybe not. However, most kid's booze still comes from the parent's home. "

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OTH wrote on May 19, 2007 10:53 AM:

" There are at least 3 to 4 more they need to look at. "

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Very sad to read wrote on May 19, 2007 9:05 AM:

" that a fairly new business, Smart & Final, would do such a thing as to sell alcohol to minors. I havne't patronized their store yet, but I hear it's a good place to shop. How many Lodians will rethink doing business with the above mentioned stores knowing that they sell alcohol to minors? Makes me reconsider ever patronizing Smart & Final. "

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well well wrote on May 19, 2007 8:27 AM:

" It is about time. "

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GovAgent wrote on May 19, 2007 7:36 AM:

" Keep up the good work! I think there should be major jail time for these perps! atleast one year jail and 10,000 fine that would go to youth programs!! city councel make a policy! "

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Comments on this story are now closed.

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