State Police conduct underage drinking initiative in Dutchess County

Dutchess County, New York – On December 19, 2016, the New York State Police conducted an underage drinking enforcement operation in Dutchess County. Twenty-one stores were checked by utilizing an underage volunteer to purchase alcohol under the observation of plainclothes investigators and supported by uniformed troopers. Eighteen store clerks refused to complete the sale of alcohol to the volunteer. Three clerks sold an alcoholic beverage to the volunteer and were arrested.

The following persons were charged during the operation:

Suresh Patel, age 64, employed at Cheers Liquor Store on Route 55, in the Town of Beekman

Muhammad Tufail, age 49, employed at the Gulf Gas Station on State Route 55 in the Town of LaGrange

Shane E. Vespa-Jewett, age 19, employed by the Shell Gas Station located on Route 44 in Pleasant Valley

All three subjects were charged with the misdemeanors of Unlawfully Dealing With a Child 1st Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor. They were issued appearance tickets to appear in local courts at a later date and released. In addition, their employers face possible civil penalties imposed by the State Liquor Authority.

The State Police would like to commend the following businesses for their compliance with state laws during the initiative:

Cobble Pond- Route 82 in Stanford
Getty- Route 44
Stewarts in the Village of Millbrook
Verbank Deli – Route 82 in Union Vale
Sunoco – Route 55 and Beekman Road
Shell- Route 55 and Route 216
Mobil- Route 55 at the Taconic State Parkway
Mobil- Route 55 and Freedom Road
Exxon- Route 55 and Titusville Road
Shell- located at the intersection of Noxon and Titusville Roads
Mobil- located at the intersection of Noxon and Titusville Roads
Shell- Route 44 by Degarmo Road
Exxon- State Route 44 and Rochdale Road
Stewarts- Route 44, in the Town of Poughkeepsie
Mobil- Route 44 and Timothy Heights
Getty- Route 44, just west of West Rd in Pleasant Valley
Mystic- Route 44 at Traver Road
Mobil- Route 44 just west of Rossway Road

The New York State Police, with investigative support provided by the New York State Liquor Authority, routinely conducts underage drinking enforcement operations throughout the state in an effort to curb alcohol abuse and DWI incidents among teenagers.