“Furnishing alcohol for someone under 21 is not a harmless act. It is against the law and could lead to harmful situations in which someone is injured or even killed. We thank the California ABC agents who work with their local law enforcement partners to enforce these laws and to educate the public on the dangers of underage drinking.”
CSLEA President Alan Barcelona
EMERYVILLE –OnFebruary 13th, 2025, agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), along with officers from the Emeryville Police Department arrested one suspect for furnishing alcoholic beverages to a minor. The arrest was the result of a Shoulder Tap operation conducted in Emeryville.
During a Shoulder Tap operation, a law enforcement supervised decoy under the age of 21 approaches adults who are entering an establishment that sells alcohol and asks them to purchase alcohol. The decoy makes it clear being underage is the issue and offers to pay if the adult will make the purchase.
If an adult agrees to purchase alcohol for an underage person, agents can arrest and cite them 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.
“Underage drinking harms our community. Never buy alcohol for a minor,” said Police Chief Jeff Jennings.
“We perform 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 drunk driving crashes.”
Statistics show minors have a higher rate of drunk driving crashes than adults. About 25 percent of alcohol-related crashes involve underage drinking, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to the American Medical Association, underage drinking can also increase chances of risky sexual behavior and teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, compromise health, and result in unintentional injury and death.
