Full Notification

Riverbank – The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department arrested four suspects on 01/22/2021 for furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors. The operation was conducted in the general vicinity of Riverbank in Stanislaus County.

Sheriff’s Deputies conducted a program called a “Decoy Shoulder Tap Operation” which holds accountable any adults who purchase alcohol for people less than 21 years of age. Under the program, a minor under the direct supervision of a peace officer will stand outside a liquor or convenience store and ask patrons to buy them alcohol. The minor indicates in some way he or she is underage thus legally unable to purchase alcohol.

If the adult agrees to purchase alcohol for the minor, agents then arrest and cite them for furnishing alcohol to the minor. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1000 fine and 24-hours of community service.

The program is intended to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. Statistics show they generally have a higher rate of drunken driving crashes than adults. According to the American Medical Association, underage drinking can increase chances of risky sexual behavior, teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, can compromise their health, and result in unintentional injury and death.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Circulation Safety (OTS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).


ABC protects communities through education, prevention, and enforcement programs designed to increase compliance with California’s alcoholic beverage laws.

ABC is a department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.