Liquor violations earn stores one day's closure

Liquor violations earn stores one day's closure

Sept. 19, 2000

BY MATT GLECKMAN
Journal Staff Writer

Owners of three Montezuma County liquor stores where alcohol was allegedly sold to minors during a recent sting received 15-day liquor-license suspensions — with all but one day deferred — at hearings before the county commissioners Monday.

Because the violations were a first offense for the three stores, 14 of the 15 days of suspension were deferred — forcing them to remain closed for one business day. The stores’ owners were allowed to choose which day their store would be closed.

Owners of Log Cabin Liquors, Smitty’s Liquors and the Dawson Lake Store all admitted — for the sake of the commission meeting — that the sale of alcohol to a minor had occurred.

However, some of the store owners were not present at the time of the sting operation and said that their guilt lies on the large presumption that the alcohol was actually sold to a minor.

Following the sting, several of the liquor-store owners complained that the sheriff’s office waited at least a day before serving the court summons.

"I can’t believe it happened. If you get stopped for a traffic violation you get your ticket right away," said Gary Schmidlin, owner of Smitty’s Liquors, following the sting.

Tim Lawrence, owner of Log Cabin Liquor, said, "You are just throwing yourself on the mercy of a cop — and if he wants to lie, he can lie. If he doesn’t, he can tell the truth — I’m not going to know one way or the other."

Detective Kalvin Boggs of the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office said the delay in handing out the summons was done on purpose so that other sting operations were not jeopardized later on in the evening.

County Attorney Bob Slough said the maximum penalty for such a violation is a license revocation or a six-month suspension.

Schmidlin said he was "totally outraged" by the county commissioners’ hearing but would not comment as to why.

In Montezuma County Court, the clerk from Smitty’s Liquors pleaded no contest to the charge of selling alcohol to a minor and wsd fined $138 and ordered to perform 20 hours of useful public service.

The clerks at the two other stores received the same penalty.

Following the hearings, the commissioners and liquor-store owners discussed the possibility of making a greater attempt to catch and charge minors who attempt to buy alcohol, as well as adults who are buying alcohol for minors.

The sheriff’s officers said they would respond to such situations as quickly as possible, depending on officer availability.

County Commissioner Kent Lindsay said in some states undercover police officers are placed in liquor stores to arrest minors who present false identification or try to buy booze without an I.D.