Two Jefferson City convenience stores will receive liquor license suspensions after police found alcohol was sold to a minor at both locations.
At the Liquor Control Board meeting Monday, Debbie Hartley, business license administrator, said the Jefferson City Police Department performed three compliance checks last month at area stores. Of the three, two were found to sell alcohol to a minor.
According to police reports, on Feb. 20 an employee at Every Day Convenience store at 910 Fairgrounds Road sold a 25-ounce can of Busch Light to a minor. The report states the employee, Guramrit Bedi, was then informed by the officer that he sold to a minor and he stated he was "sorry." Bedi was released on a municipal summons for supplying alcohol to a minor.
Hartley said the store itself has had previous violations, but not since the ownership changed a couple of years ago. She said under the ownership of George Pate, Hitendra Patel and Savitaben Patel, there had been no previous violations.
The board unanimously approved a one-day suspension of the business' liquor license for April 3. The owners have 10 days after being notified to file an appeal.
Another compliance check on Feb. 20 found an employee at Convenient Food Mart at 3714 W. Truman Blvd. also sold a 25-ounce can of Busch Light to a minor. The report states the employee, Michael Rondeau, was contacted by the officer about selling to a minor and Rondeau stated that he looked at the driver's license but had miscalculated the age due to his dyslexia. Rondeau was released on a municipal summons for supplying alcohol to a minor.
Hartley said the store itself has had no previous violations, but the owner, Jon Alewel, has had two previous violations at other locations.
In 2000, a store at 426 Brooks St. received a one-day suspension for sale of alcohol to a minor and, in 2007, a store at 701 Eastland Drive also received a one-day suspension for sale of alcohol to a minor.
Because of the previous violations, the board unanimously approved a two-day suspension of the business' liquor license for April 3-4. The owner has 10 days after being notified to file an appeal.