Undercover Operation Targets Underage Alcohol Sales

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office recently conducted two undercover operations targeting Juvenile Underage Drinking Enforcement (aka, J.U.D.E.) on both sides of the parish. A total of fifty five (55) businesses in St. Tammany were checked for compliance over a two-day period and fifteen (15) clerks were issued summonses for non-compliance.
The operations were funded by a federal grant through the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. These compliance checks involve the use of a commissioned STPSO deputy who has not reached the age of 21.
With the holidays approaching, deputies want to ensure that alcoholic beverage outlets in St. Tammany Parish are in compliance with L.R.S. 14:93.11, which prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages to persons under 21 years of age. Penalties for violations of this statute can result in fines of not less than $500 nor more than $1000 or imprisonment for not less than thirty days nor more than six months, or both.