Jacksonville Police Going After Stores Selling Alcohol to Underage Buyers

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is attempting to crack down on stores and store clerks who sell alcohol to people under 21 years of age, the legal drinking age in Florida, according to an article at www.News4jax.com. Jacksonville police officers are sending underage kids into various stores to try to purchase alcohol. If and when the store clerk sells the alcohol, the kid walks outside and hands the alcoholic beverage to the police officer waiting outside. The store clerk is then arrested or given a notice to appear in court for a second degree misdemeanor crime. Apparently, the Jacksonville police officers are targeting stores that have been the subject of a complaint, but they also check stores at random.

The Florida crime of selling or serving alcohol to a person under 21 years of age can be found at section 562.11, Florida Statutes. A person who is convicted of this crime faces a maximum sentence of 60 days in jail.