Four Arrested in South Lake Tahoe For Buying Alcohol For Minors

Four people, including two locals, were arrested on Friday night during Shoulder Tap Decoy Operations at South Lake Tahoe stores that sell alcohol.

On March 15, 2014, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) arrested Stevie Smith, a 23 year old from Pasadena, Harvey Hampton, a 58 year old from South Lake Tahoe, Charles Kerr, a 72 year old from South Lake Tahoe and Hamza Salmi, a 32 year old from San Francisco. As of 10 p.m. Friday, 522 people had been arrested statewide during the largest decoy operation in California's history.

In South Lake Tahoe the decoy group approached 35 adults and were turned down by 31 of them.

According to El Dorado County Jail records, none of the four arrested remain in jail.

Operation Shoulder Tap is designed to help reduce youth access to alcohol. SLTPD conducted the operation with funding from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC)through the department’s Grant Assistance Program.

Statewide, Agents from ABC and officers from at least 109 Police and Sheriff’s Departments joined forces throughout California.

Most individuals have been cited for furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors, and others have been arrested for crimes such as drunken driving, illegal drugs, false identification, open containers in public, public drunkenness, parole violations and outstanding warrants.

Decoy Shoulder Tap Operation can lead to the arrest of adults who purchase alcohol for people under 21 years old. 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 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. 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.