Two stores cited; two clerks issued criminal citations for underage alcohol sales

An underage alcohol sale compliance check was carried out by the Georgia Department of Revenue and the Cedartown Police Department on April 15, according to a release from city officials this afternoon.

The compliance check involved all businesses licensed to sell alcohol within the City of Cedartown, and netted a pair of citations.

According to Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome, the Georgia Department of Revenue provided a uniformed officer, an undercover officer, and an underage person to conduct the compliance check.

Newsome said that at every business, the underage person entered the store, picked out an alcoholic beverage and then placed it on the check out counter.

“At that point, the underage person says nothing, only places the beverage on the counter. It’s up to the clerk to ask for ID,” Newsome explains. “When legal procedures are followed, the clerk asks for identification and at that point, the underage person exits the store. In cases where the clerk does not ask for ID, the clerk is issued a criminal citation from our police department and the Georgia Department of Revenue cites the license holder (store owner) with a violation.”

Stores cited by the Department of Revenue include Fleet, at 1016 East Avenue, and Grand’s, located at 724 S. Main Street.

Fleet clerk Avaniben Brijesh Patel, 26, and Grand’s clerk Sheena Brooke Laroche, 35, were given a criminal citation from the Cedartown Police.

Newsome expressed appreciation for the cooperative effort made on behalf of the Georgia Department of Revenue.