Guymon, Oklahoma, January 4, 2010 Guymon police conducted a compliance  investigation into alcohol sales to minors on New Year’s Eve and four (4) of the ten (10) convenience stores checked sold to the minor with three (3) of the four (4) stores being repeat offenders according to the police.

“We sent a minor into the convenience stores and employees at four of the stores sold to the minor and did not ask for identification and were not asked their age,” stated Guymon Chief of Police Eddie Adamson.

According to the information received from the police, an underage informant purchased low point beer at Zippy’s Convenience Store, Wes-T- Go Convenience Store, Kent Kwik, and Mary Kay’s Convenience Store on New Year’s Eve while plainclothes officers viewed the sale to the minor.

Chief Adamson further stated, “Our Detectives conducted this investigation and will be delivering paperwork to the District Attorney this week to determine what charges will be filed on the individuals who made the sales and will also be reviewing any action to be taken against the businesses who have done things of this nature before.”

In February 2009 the Guymon Police conducted a similar investigation and employees of the Wes-T-Go Convenience Store, Kent Kwik, and Mary Kay’s Convenience stores sold alcohol to a minor at that time as well.

In the state of Oklahoma the first offense for the sale of low point alcoholic beverages to a minor is a misdemeanor charge punishable by a fine of up to $500 and one year in jail. In all of these cases the alcohol sold was low point beverages.

Oklahoma Statute 37-2-241 (Low Point Beer Sales)

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, barter, or give to any person under twenty-one (21) years of age any low-point beer, as defined in Section 163.2 of this title.

D. Any person violating the provisions of subsection A, B or C of this section shall upon conviction be guilty of a misdemeanor for a first violation and shall be punished by a fine of not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than one (1) year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Any person convicted of a second violation within one (1) year of the first violation shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00), or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than one (1) year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Any person convicted of a third violation within one (1) year of the first violation shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by a fine of not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for not more than five (5) years, or by both such fine and imprisonment. The filing of a supplemental information shall be subject to the discretion of the district attorney. One-half (1/2) of any fine collected shall be deposited in the Prevention of Youth Access to Alcohol Revolving Fund established by Section 13 of this act.