21 Arrested for Giving Alcohol to Decoys Under 21 in Contra Costa County

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By Bay City News Service

Detectives arrested 21 people over the past month during stings targeting alcohol sales to minors throughout Contra Costa County, a sheriff's spokesman said.

Investigators from the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control teamed up in February to conduct three minor decoy operations at 44 different businesses countywide, sheriff's spokesman Jimmy Lee said. 

During those operations, minors supervised by sheriff's personnel would enter an establishment and attempt to buy alcohol or ask an adult outside of the store to purchase alcohol for them.

As a result of those operations, 17 people were arrested for selling alcohol to a minor and four were arrested on suspicion of buying alcohol for minors, Lee said.

Penalties for those arrests can include fines of up to $1,000, community service and possible revocation of a business's alcohol license.  

One person arrested during the operation was also arrested for alleged methamphetamine possession, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of burglary tools, according to the sheriff's office.   

The minor decoy operations were made possible with grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Safety Administration.  

Lee said the sheriff's office is already planning future minor decoy operations.

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