Media

Undercover Beer Sting Results In Arrests At East Memphis Businesses

Release Date: July 20, 2006

Sheriff’s Deputies and other officers with the Metro D.U.I. Squad visited businesses on Hickory Hill, Mt. Moriah and other nearby streets in East Memphis last night.  On Wednesday evening, July 19, 2006, Deputies and other officers visited 23 businesses, which included convenience stores, grocery stores and liquor stores.

Seventeen (17) clerks were issued misdemeanor citations for selling beer to persons below the legal drinking age of 21.  The clerks will have to report to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Jail Annex to be booked and fingerprinted at the Records and Identification Division.

At one of those stores where beer was sold to minors, a clerk was issued a juvenile summons.  He was not old enough to be selling alcohol to customers. 

Also last night, officers confiscated a pistol from the Best Market located at 3239 Hickory Hill.  When the gun’s serial number was checked, it was determined the pistol was stolen.  Officers, however, did not arrest anyone at the store for stealing the gun.

Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies and other officers from the Memphis Police Department and Germantown Police Department comprise the Metro D.U.I. Squad.

So far this year, the squad has conducted 14 undercover beer stings and 182 clerks have been issued citations or arrested for selling alcohol to underage persons.

The sting last night was part of an on-going effort funded by the Governor’s Highway Safety Office to stop the sale of alcohol to minors. 

* Juvenile summons issued to a 15 year old clerk who sold beer to the operant and a misdemeanor citation issued to his 50 year old father (store owner) for allowing the juvenile to sell beer.

** 9mm stolen pistol seized at this business.