Loudoun County, VA (March 2, 2020) – An underage alcohol sales operation conducted Friday night by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office saw three clerks fail to adequately screen customers purchasing alcohol.
The enforcement operation saw an underage buyer attempting to purchase alcohol at 21 retail locations in the Western Loudoun Station area, including inside the Town of Purcellville. The LCSO coordinated efforts with the Purcellville Police Department inside the town. The three clerks sold to the underage buyers at the following locations:
• 7-Eleven- Wolf Rock Drive- Purcellville
• 7-Eleven- 610 W. Main Street- Purcellville
• Vino 9 Market- Paeonian Springs
All three clerks were issued a summons under Virginia law §4.1-306. Each clerk was charged with one count of selling alcoholic beverages to a person less than 21 years of age, a Class 1 Misdemeanor.
Last month the LCSO held a similar operation involving vaping following the passage of a new Virginia law that took effect in July 2019. Virginia Code 18.2-371.2 prohibits the purchase, possession, and sale of tobacco products, nicotine vapor products, and alternative nicotine products to persons under 21 years of age. In that operation the LCSO visited 33 retail locations in the Ashburn Station area. The operation saw six clerks charged with selling JUUL pods to customers under the age of 21.
“These operations send a clear message to store owners to take the appropriate steps to ensure tobacco, vape and alcohol products are not making it into the wrong hands. It’s the law,” said Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman.
The LCSO will continue to conduct more operations over the next few months.