Arrest Five Suspects for Furnishing Alcohol to Minors 

“It’s disconcerting that five adults in one operation agreed to purchase alcohol for the underage decoy.  Potentially, that’s five people under the age of 21 who would have had access to alcohol for their consumption, quite possibly leading to dangerous situations and putting the public at risk.  We are grateful to California ABC agents and their local law enforcement partners for continuing these valuable operations which educate the public and send a strong message to those who break the law.”

– CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

CLAREMONT – On February 9, 2024, California Alcoholic Beverage Control agents worked with Claremont and Upland Police Department officers to conduct a shoulder tap operation targeting those who buy alcohol for someone under 21.  The agents and officers arrested five suspects for furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors.

In a shoulder tap operation, minor decoys, under the direct supervision of law enforcement, stand outside of a liquor or convenience store and ask customers to buy them alcohol. The decoys indicate they are underage and cannot purchase the alcohol.   

If adults agree to purchase alcohol for an underage person, they can be arrested and cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service. 

“We conduct these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth,” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough. “By preventing underage drinking we can increase the quality of life in our communities and reduce DUIs.”

Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a much higher risk of being involved in a crash than older drivers. About 25 percent of fatal crashes involve underage drinking according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).