Three City Restaurants Plead Guilty to Serving Alcohol to Minors

Three owners of well-known East Providence restaurants appeared in  late Thursday afternoon to face charges of serving alcoholic beverages to minors.

The owners of , East Buffet and all entered pleas of guilty on behalf of their establishments during their respective arraignments Thursday afternoon, during which they were formally charged with city violations for Sale of Alcoholic Beverages to Minors. 

By pleading guilty to the violation, each business was ordered to pay a total of $325, which was divided between a $250 fine for the violation itself and $75 in court costs. 

Thursday afternoon's mandatory arraignments were peppered in with a mix of other hearings Thursday evening. The line stretched out the door onto the front steps of the building, as dozens of people waited to sign in for their own matters. The majority of the hearings before the court Thursday afternoon were traffic violations, with only a handful of violations bearing the moniker of city violations, like that of the three local restaurants. 

According to the East Providence Municipal Court, Riverside Kitchen's Antonetta Foccano entered a plea of guilty before before 5 pm. The other two establishments were seen between 5 pm and 5:30 pm.

Upon being called by the presiding judge, El Azteca's Hilda Salinas appeared before the court with attorney Donna Nesselbush. Nesslebush spoke for Salinas, telling the court that her client was aware of the perimeters of her plea, saying that she had "discussed it with her at length."

After Salinas met with the court clerk for violation and court fees, Nesselbush declined comment on behalf of her client.

Shortly before, East Buffet owner Kar Soon Lee took the stand with an interpreter who was is associated with the restaurant. After the judge informed Soon Lee of her options, either plead guilty and pay the violation or set a trial date, Soon Lee's interpreter imparted the establishment's wishes, saying "[Soon Lee] wants to plead guilty."

Speaking of future enforcement of liquor laws, the serving interpreter added: "We're definitely going to be stepping things up."