Location: Multiple locations in Pixley-Earlimart

Incident Date: 05/24/2018

Incident Time: 1500-2100 Hrs

Case Number: 18-6926 & 18-6930

Victim: State of California

City: Pixley - Earlimart

Posted by: Dispatch

Crime Scene Locations:

New Pixley Mini Mart  130 S. Main, Pixley CA

Pixley Shell                   560 E. Terra Bella, Pixley CA

S.A Market                    855 S. State, Earlimart CA

Suspects:

Meza Mendoza Jose Luis (68 Yrs) Cited for B&P 25658/ VC 12500 case #18-6926

Acevedo Manuel (51 Yrs) Cited for B&P 25658 Case #18-6930

Estrada, Guadalupe (70 Yrs) Cited for B&P 25658 / ABC case # Unknown

Narrative:

Tulare County Sheriff’s Department cited 3 persons on May 24, 2018, for furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors.  The operation was conducted in the general vicinity of Pixley-Earlimart.

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Department in Conjunction with Agents from Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) conducted a program called a Decoy Shoulder Tap Operation which targets adults who purchase alcohol for people less than 21 years of age.  Under the program, a minor under the direct supervision of a peace officer will stand outside a liquor or convenience store and ask patrons to buy them alcohol.  The minor indicates in some way he or she is underage and cannot purchase the alcohol. 

If the adults agree to purchase alcohol for the minor, Officers then arrest and/or cite them for furnishing alcohol to the minor.  The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1000 fine and 24 hours of community service. 

The program is intended to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors.  Statistics show they generally have a higher rate of drunken driving crashes than adults.  Studies also show the combination of alcohol and youth tends to increase criminal conduct.  According to the American Medical Association, underage drinking can increase chances of risky sexual behavior and teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, compromise health, and result in unintentional injury and death.

This project is part of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s Education and Teen Alcohol Enforcement Program Grant, funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The cases are currently under investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department at (559)733-6218 or send anonymous information by sending a text or email to TCSO@tipnow.com or call 1-800-TIPNOW.

Sgt. H. Rodriguez