Anonymous
Source: Santa Maria Police Department
On Saturday, December 27, 2019 the Santa Maria Police Department and the Guadalupe Police Department conducted an ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) “Shoulder Tap” and a “Minor Decoy” operation throughout the City of Santa Maria and the City of Guadalupe. These programs are designed to reduce youth access to alcoholic beverages. These type of operations are conducted by local law enforcement throughout the state of California. This detail was planned for this week due to the upcoming New Year holiday for year 2020.
During the “Minor Decoy” operation a minor decoy, under the age of 21, attempted to purchase an alcoholic beverage, under the direct supervision of undercover officers. The decoy entered four “off-sale establishments” and two “on-sale establishments.” An “off-sale establishment” is an establishment that conducts retail sales of alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises where it was sold. An “on-sale est ablishment” is an establishment that conducts retail sales of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises where it was sold. We are pleased to inform our public that none of the businesses sold to the minor decoy.
During the “Shoulder Tap” operation, a minor decoy under the direct supervision of officers, asks people from the community to purchase alcoholic beverages for them from an ABC licensed establishments. This operation was attempted at two different “off-sale establishments.” A total of six people were contacted and only one agreed to purchase an alcohol beverage for the minor decoy. During this investigation it was determined that, Oscar Cruz, who purchased the alcohol for the minor decoy had just also purchased alcohol for one of his friends, Javenal Ramirez, who was also found to be a minor. Javenal Ramirez was still on site and found to also be in possession of alcohol. Authorities also discovered that Oscar Cruz was underage. The clerk, Elias Daoud, at Roy’s Liquor and Market in the City of Guadalupe was contacted and determined he failed to ask for identification on both cases when he sold alcohol to Oscar Cruz, a minor.
The following individuals were cited on the following charges:
Cruz, Oscar, 18 year old male – Furnishing alcohol to a minor and being a minor in possession of alcohol.
Ramirez, Javenal, 19 year old male– Minor in possession of alcohol.
Daoud, Elias, 53 year old male – Furnishing alcohol to a minor.
These type of programs are intended to reduce the availability of alcoholic beverages to minors; statistics show that teens have a greater rate of drunken driving crashes than adults.
Funding for these programs are provided by the California ABC Alcohol Policing Partnership grant which was awarded to the Santa Maria Police Department and the City of Guadalupe for these types of operations.
Gosh, do I feel better about my safety and the community as a result of this stuff.