IMPORTANT NEWS...
The Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Protects Students from Underage Drinking in Preparation for School Year
August 16, 2010
GAINESVILLE—As students return to college and high school campuses throughout Florida, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco is ensuring compliance with underage drinking laws and retailer compliance with alcoholic beverage sales. Gainesville agents conducted 115 alcohol compliance checks over the past week and cited 10 retailers and clerks for selling alcohol to underage individuals. The information below shows the locations and individuals cited:
Retailer |
Address |
Clerk |
| Winn Dixie Liquor Store | 300 SW 16th Ave., Gainesville, Fla. | Cherle Partridge |
| Country Club at Lake City | 717 NW Fairway Dr., Lake City, Fla. | Carleen Maniscalco |
| CVS # 5171 | 1005 S. Ohio Ave. , Live Oak, Fla. | Diana Trader |
| Sweetbay Supermarket #1937 (liquor store) | 816 Old Camp Rd., Villages, Fla. | Robert Lemaire |
| Sweetbay Supermarket #1937 | 820 Old Camp Rd., Villages, Fla. | Emily Spevak |
| Bob's Food Store | 3795 N Lecanto Hwy., Beverly Hills, Fla. | Mariann Newberger |
| Texaco Food Mart | 645 W Norvell Bryant Hwy., Hernando, Fla. | Unmesh Patel |
| BP Food Mart | 2965 SE 58th Ave., Ocala, Fla. | Nilesh C. Sheth |
| Interstate Citgo | 3420 W. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, Fla. | Donald Arthur Gaudette |
| Kangaroo #2328 | 1940 SE 58th Ave., Ocala, Fla. | Tara Moore |
Both individuals and establishments face stiff penalties for violating alcoholic beverage laws. Establishments that sell alcohol to individuals under the age of 21 three times within a 12-week period face up to a $1,000 fine and a seven-day license suspension. Individuals who sell or give alcohol to underage youth face a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. A new law stiffens criminal penalties for anyone caught two or more times giving alcohol to underage drinkers. Anyone who facilitates underage drinking will be subject to a first-degree misdemeanor on the second offense. Individuals under the age of 21 in possession of alcoholic beverages face a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail or a $500 fine.
The mission of ABT is to keep alcohol and tobacco out of the hands of underage persons, to ensure that licensed establishments are in compliance with the laws and rules regulating the industry in Florida, and to collect taxes and fees related to these industries.
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. The department licenses more than one million businesses and professionals ranging from real estate agents, veterinarians, and accountants to contractors and cosmetologists. For more information, please visit MyFloridaLicense.com.