“One clerk allowing the sale of alcohol to a minor is one clerk too many.  We can’t stress enough the importance of ABC agents working with their local law enforcement partners to enforce laws as they pertain to alcoholic beverages.  These enforcement operations help to protect all of us.”

CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

NEVADA COUNTY – On February 23, 2025, California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) agents and deputies with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, cited five clerks for selling alcohol to minors.  The citations were the result of a Minor Decoy operation in which minors under the direct supervision of department agents, attempted to purchase alcohol from 23 retail licensees in Nevada City, North San Juan, Grass Valley, and Penn Valley.

Clerks who sold to a minor face a minimum fine of $250, and 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation. In addition, ABC may take administrative action against the alcoholic beverage license of the business where alcohol was sold to a minor. That may include a fine, suspension, or the permanent revocation of the license.

“Conducting these operations allow us to help reduce underage drinking and increase public safety,” said NCSO Sergeant Andrew Liller, ABC Alcohol Policing Partnership (APP) Grant Coordinator.

“Businesses should always check IDs before selling alcohol,” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough. “Preventing access to people not old enough to legally purchase alcohol improves safety on our roadways and in our communities.”

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).