Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On June 13, 2011, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Ojai Station and the Camarillo Police Department Special Enforcement Detail conducted an alcohol sales operation involving the local liquor stores in the Ojai Valley. Nine liquor stores were chosen for the sales operation. The law requires the sales employee to ask for and look at a person’s identification to make sure they are of age for purchasing an alcoholic beverage. Only one of the nine locations, the Ojai Beverage Company, sold an alcoholic beverage to the minor during the operation.

The employee who sold the alcoholic beverage to the minor was issued a citation for section 25658 (a) of the California Business & Professions Code and released. The California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (A.B.C.) will follow up with the business with regard to their employee selling to a minor. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office will send out letters to the other eight businesses involved in the sales operation advising them that they were successful.

The Sales Operation was successful for the businesses in the Ojai Valley in that 89% of the businesses involved in the operation refused to sell to a minor and asked for age and identification. One location even reprimanded the minor for trying to purchase an alcoholic beverage. This is the third sales operation involving the local liquor stores in the valley in the past three years.

Location: Ojai Valley

Date & Time: June 13, 2011 @ 5:00 p.m.

Unit Responsible: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office – Ojai Valley Station

Officer Preparing Release: Detective Mark Burgess

Follow-up Contact: Detective Mark Burgess (805) 646-1414

Date of Release: June 14, 2011

Approved By: Captain Chris Dunn