Liquor licenses suspended for 2 Jefferson City stores

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 Friday, Debbie Hartley, business license administrator, said the Jefferson City Police Department performed compliance checks at several businesses earlier this month and found two stores that sold alcohol to a minor.

According to police reports, an employee at Xpress Liquor & Smokes at 510 Ellis Blvd., suite A, sold a 25-ounce can of Busch Light on March 12 to a 19-year-old male. The report states the employee, David Y. Robinson, was then informed by the officer he sold to a minor. Robinson was released on a municipal summons for supplying alcohol to a minor.

Hartley said the store and the owners, Jignesh Kumar Patel and Dinesh Kumar Patel, have no previous violations.

The board unanimously approved a one-day suspension of the business' liquor license for April 17. The owners have 10 days after being notified to file an appeal, and Hartley said the owners already have indicated they plan to file an appeal.

Another compliance check on March 12 found an employee at the Break Time at 627 Clark St. also sold a 25-ounce can of Busch Light to a 19-year-old male. The report states the employee, Summar Lopez, was then informed by the officer she sold to a minor. Lopez was released on a municipal summons for supplying alcohol to a minor.

Hartley said the store itself has two previous violations: in 2004 the store received a three-day suspension for sale of alcohol to a minor, and in 2009 the store received a six-day suspension for sale of alcohol to a minor.

The store is owned by MFA Oil Company, which owns several Break Time locations in Jefferson City. Hartley said other Break Times owned by MFA Oil have had three violations.

Because the last suspension the Clark Street store received was for six days, board members indicated they were unwilling to give a suspension that was any shorter. Board members also said they could send a strong message with a suspension because of the number of stores owned by MFA Oil.

The board unanimously approved a six-day suspension of the business' liquor license beginning April 17. Hartley said the decision likely will be appealed, as MFA Oil has appealed all other liquor board decisions affecting their businesses. The owners have 10 days after being notified to file the appeal.