PCSO deputies conducted another round of Operation Pop Top on Thursday, December 19, 2024, and their efforts resulted in the arrest of a convenience store clerk from Lakeland.
The operation is an ongoing campaign by the PCSO, in which they visit numerous stores that sell alcohol, ensuring that they check for IDs and refuse to sell alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 21.
In this case, a 15-year-old member of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Cadet Unit 1000 assisted deputies as they checked ten stores around the Lakeland area.
70-year-old Clorinda Gaines was arrested by deputies after she sold an alcoholic beverage to the teen. Gaines is employed by the Circle K store at 3025 Kathleen Road. She was charged with selling alcoholic beverages to a person under 21, a misdemeanor.
“90% of the stores we checked on Thursday did the right thing, but that’s not good enough. We need to be seeing 100% each time we do this. These sales clerks and stores need to be checking IDs and refusing to sell alcoholic beverages to anyone under 21, as required by law.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
That’s great, Grady. Now how about catching these people doing 55 in a 35 outside my home? How about the ones who’ve pulled their noise abatement equipment off in violation of Florida statutes you claim to enforce? Or are you worried you might catch one of your rich buddies?