4 Store Clerks Charged With Selling Alcoholic Beverages to a Teenager in Dutchess County

On July 28, 2015, New York State Police and State Liquor Authority personnel conducted an underage drinking enforcement operation in southern County. Twenty-four stores were checked by utilizing a nineteen-year old volunteer to purchase beer under the observation of plainclothes investigators supported by uniformed troopers. Twenty store clerks refused to complete the sale. Four clerks sold beer to the volunteer and were arrested. The following persons were charged during the operation:

1.  Andrew J. Woodin, 19, of Wappingers Falls, employed at Chestnut Mobil Mart, 1468 Route 9, Wappingers Falls.

2.  Kamel Ayouni, 45, of Poughkeepsie, employed at Fishkill Gulf, 2 Elm Street, Fishkill.

3.  Priscilla I. Butler, 27, of Wappingers Falls, employed at Fishkill Mobil, 823 Route 52, Fishkill.

4.  Bilgin Ozdemir, 44, of Wappingers Falls, employed at 9D Food Mart, Wappingers Falls.

The four were charged with Prohibited Sale of Alcohol to a Person Under 21 Years of Age, a misdmeanor under the state’s Alcohol Ceverage Control law. 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 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.