4 Employees Arrested For Selling Alcohol To Minors In Copiague, North Amityville: Police

COPIAGUE / NORTH AMITYVILLE, NY — Four employees were arrested Thursday for allegedly selling alcohol to minors at businesses in Copiague and North Amityville, Suffolk County police said.

According to Suffolk County police, First Precinct Crime Section officers conducted an investigation into the sale of alcohol to minors after receiving community complaints. Officers checked five businesses during the investigation and found violations at four locations, police said.

Police said Fnu Ram-Piara, 67, of Dix Hills, an employee at the Valero gas station on Great Neck Road in North Amityville, was charged with unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree. Lisbeth Portolatin-Rodriguez, 25, of Copiague, an employee at R&J Grocery and Deli on Sunrise Highway in Copiague, was charged with the same offense, police said.

Suffolk County police said Satish Khanija, 65, of Farmingdale, an employee at Brother’s Wines Liquors on Sunrise Highway in Copiague, was also charged with unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree. Shamsher Jhamata, 66, of Elmont, an employee at Copiague Wine & Spirits on Great Neck Road in Copiague, was charged with the same offense, police said.

All four were issued field appearance tickets and are scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date, police said.