Store Clerks Accused Of Selling Alcohol To Minors In Crackdown

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — More than a dozen store clerks have been charged with selling alcohol to minors following a countywide crackdown by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Chad Chronister announced the results of a multi-agency underage drinking crackdown June 24 to July 3 in which the sheriff's office and agents from Florida Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco conducted 215 alcohol compliance checks at stores throughout Hillsborough County.

During the operation, 15 clerks were found to be non-compliant and were either arrested, issued a court date or entered into the SAO Diversion program.

"This operation directly increases the safety of teens in Hillsborough County," said Chronister. "Now they won't be able to visit these businesses and buy alcohol. I want to remind everyone that underage drinking is not only illegal, but it is dangerous. Please, don't risk your life or your future on a drink."

The operation was made possible due to the recent formation of the countywide DUI Enforcement Squad. Chronister announced the centralized DUI squad in April. The squad is made up of deputies specially trained to detect and apprehend impaired and intoxicated drivers. The squad also focuses on underage drinking education and crackdown efforts.

"When we realized that DUI traffic fatalities were on the rise in 2018, I wanted to be proactive and take steps to reduce those numbers and make our roadways safer. That's why the DUI squad was created," said Chronister. "We've increased our manpower at the sheriff's office, which has allowed us to put more deputies on the road searching for impaired drivers. Even one life saved because of our efforts is a success in my book."

Since the inception of the DUI squad in April, HCSO has seen a 42 percent increase in DUI arrests. From April 8 to July 5, 513 people were arrested for DUI. During the same time frame last year, there were 361 arrests.

The following locations were found to be non-compliant during the crackdown on underage alcohol sales and the following people were arrested:

• Arts Lounge, 10816 U.S. 92 E., Seffner —Timothy Kelly, 60
• Publix, 3863 U.S. 301 S., Riverview — Abiola Omosebi, 48
• Marathonm 12859 U.S. 301 S., Riverview —Fibu Thomas, 29
• Publix, 13154 U.S. 301 S., Riverview — Nina Smith, 61
• Golden King, 11369 U.S. 301 N., Tampa — Javed Kamal, 62
• ABC Liquor, 2330 Fletcher Ave. E., Tampa — Peter Tulloch, 25
• Shell, 6605 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Seffner — Mohssen Ebrahim Nassed, 62
• Winn-Dixie, 16751 Fishhawk Blvd., Lithia — Robert Orlando, 71
• Radiant, 6933 U.S. 301 S., Riverview — Terri Lattimore, 24
• Sunoco, 4714 Causeway Blvd., Brandon — Fakher Nawar, 65
• Shell 965 Brandon Blvd. E., Brandon — Marco Arizmendi-Perez, 32
• Circle K, 11755 State Road 579, Seffner — Jason Moreno, 38
• 7-Eleven, 5601 Fletcher Ave. E., Tampa — Janice Dukes, 49
• Beverage Castle, 11730 56th St. N., Temple Terrace — James Smargon, 64
• 7 Star, 7749 Temple Terrace Highway, Temple Terrace —Michael Whitaker, 45.