Oakdale Liquor Store Employee Caught Selling Liquor to Underage Customer

An employee of  store was caught selling alcohol to an underage customer earlier this month, causing the liquor store to receive a fine and a three-day suspension. 

Oakdale Police Chief Bill Sullivan went before the city council Tuesday regarding the incident that occurred on Aug. 4. A police officer was conducting an annual compliance check at Pagerti's and caught a customer under 21 years old purchasing alcohol. The liquor store employee did not ask to see the individual's ID. 

Sullivan informed the city council that this was the Pagerti's employee's fourth offense for selling alcohol to an underage individual. Three other offenses occurred in 2008, 2009 and 2011.

Per the city ordinance, the liquor store will receive a $500 fine and a three-day suspension. 

However, the issue is a bit more complicated, Sullivan said.

Pagerti's is in the process of receiving new ownership. So Sullivan requested that the current owner pay the $500 and if the new owner takes over the liquor store then the city will waive the three-day suspension.

"This is a unique situation," Sullivan said. "We want to be as fair as possible to the new ownereship."

If the new ownership should fall through, then the current liquor store owner will receive the three-day suspension.

City council members supported the request, but said they wanted the new owner to be made aware of the pattern of underage residents purchasing alcohol.

"Can we stress to them that this is a pattern? That there's a tendency for youth to go there?" said Councilman Stan Karwoski.

Councilman Paul Reinke suggested revisiting the policy to clean up some of the language and make it more clear. Karwoski also said he would like to revisit the ordinance.

"If there is a second violation (at a liquor store) then I wouldn't mind paying the extra cost to get more than one annual checkup," Karwoski said. "I'd like to get in more often to make sure to snuff this out quicker."

Sullivan will go before the city council on Sept. 11 to update the city council on the ownership of Pagerti's and if the suspension should be waived or enforced. 

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