Crime & Safety
"Operation Shoulder Tap" Nabs Two Buying for Minors
Statewide sting operation nets two in Sonoma Valley, over 500 state-wide
After an inauspicious start, St. Patrick’s Day went by relatively harmlessly, according to law enforcement in the Sonoma Valley.
Arrest logs showed that Guillermo Rodrigues-Reyes, 31, of Boyes Hot Springs was arrested for public intoxication at two minutes after midnight on March 17, at a traffic stop on Hwy. 12.
As the day went on, traffic stops, car alarms and spot security checks were reported.
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“For St Patty’s day I worked until 2 am last night and there was nothing of significance to report,” said Sgt. Spencer Crum of the Sonoma Police Department.
But some people in his department had their hands full last weekend.
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On Friday, March 15th, 2013 the Sonoma Police Department took part in one of the largest “Shoulder Tap” operations ever conducted, part of a state-wide effort to combat the furnishing of alcoholic beverages to minors.
They were one of 56 agencies involved in over 19 counties throughout California, many with the assistance of local Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Agents. The grim total: over 506 arrests were made statewide during these operations. (Editor’s note: We’re not sure what “over 19 counties” and “over 506 arrests” means, unless they mean 20 counties and 507 arrests.)
During Sonoma's operation, five local businesses in the City of Sonoma and Sonoma Valley were visited by an underage decoy, who asked potential customers to purchase alcohol for them after telling them they were underage.
Of those asked, just two subjects agreed and then later provided alcohol to the underage decoy. Both subjects were arrested for furnishing alcohol to a minor, and one of the subjects was found in possession of suspected narcotics.
"The Sonoma Police Department will continue to routinely conduct undercover operations with the goal of obtaining compliance from both local businesses and the general public of the laws regarding minors and alcohol," read a statement from the agency.
Funds for the operation were provided by a grant from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
