“At each of the three retail locations that ABC agents and San Jose Police officers conducted their minor decoy operation, the underage decoy was able to purchase alcohol.  This is why these operations are conducted, to educate clerks of the importance of checking IDs and to help keep the public safe from harms associated with underage drinking.”

CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

SAN JOSE -On February 19, 2025, California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) agents, along with San Jose Police officers, cited three clerks for selling alcohol to minors in the city of San Jose. The citations were the result of a Minor Decoy operation in which underage decoys, under the direct supervision of agents, attempted to purchase alcohol from three retail licensees.

Those who sold alcohol 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. That may include a fine, a suspension of the license, or the permanent revocation of the license.

“Minor Decoy operations hold accountable those who sell alcohol to minors,” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough. “Keeping alcohol away from youth is a priority.”

Statistics show that minors have a higher rate of drunk driving fatalities than the general adult population. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 25 percent of alcohol-related crashes involve underage drinking.

Minor Decoy operations have been conducted by local law enforcement throughout the state since the 1980s. When the program first began, the violation rate of retail establishments selling to minors was as high as 40 to 50 percent. When conducted on a routine basis, the rate has dropped to below 10 percent in some cities. In 1994, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that use of minor decoys is a valid tool of law enforcement to ensure that licensees are complying with the law.