17 employees sold alcohol to minors in last two months

Two teams of Lake County law enforcement officers tested 113 businesses in February and early March to see if anyone would sell an underage minor alcohol – 17 employees or business owners failed.

The sweep is part of a government-sponsored grant that provides extra money to law enforcement to test for compliance, Don Bell, Lake County Sheriff said. 

The sweep is predictable, Bell said. 

Before the two-week test began, law enforcement officials sent out notices through the radio, newspapers and by sending all locations that sold alcohol in Lake County a postcard warning them that the department would be testing for alcohol compliance.

Bars, grocery stores, gas stations, any place that sold alcohol was tested by an 18-year-old who bought, or tried to buy alcohol.

The minor approached the potential seller while a plain-clothes officer, who was inside the building at the time of the attempt, watched from a distance, Bell said. 

If the clerk asked the minor for his birth date or driver’s license, the minor gave his actual dates, disqualifying himself from the purchase.

However, if the clerk failed to perform the regulated functions demanded by Montana State Law, the alcohol was purchased and a misdemeanor ticket was issued to the seller.

Some of those tickets were issued on the spot, Bell said.

Others were issued later because law enforcement officials did not want alcohol sellers to call one another and warn them they were about to be tested.

Those who received misdemeanor tickets were placed in the Lake County Justice Court system and charged with a $500 fine and an additional $35 in court costs.

Lake County Justice Court records are public.

Of those tested, Lake County’s Town Pump gas station chain emerged unscathed.

The Town Pump Corporation has a reward program for employees who ensure no alcohol is sold to minors.