News Story - T.O. Tobacco Decoy Sting
Nature of Incident: Tobacco Products Decoy Sting Operation Report Number: N/A Location: Various Retail Locations - City of Thousand Oaks Date & Time: 4/27/2018 @ 5:00 PM Unit Responsible: Thousand Oaks Police Department’s Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU) and Ventura County Public Health (S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age (S) Peter Pickett (S) Claudio Selame (S) Eivan Younan (S) Ramon Jimenez Simi Valley Newbury Park Granada Hills Simi Valley 24 30 33 25 Narrative: On April 27, 2018, members of the Thousand Oaks Police Department’s Directed Enforcement Unit with the assistance of Ventura County Public Health conducted a tobacco product sting, using an underage decoy, in an attempt to purchase tobacco products at retail establishments in the city of Thousand Oaks. The goal of this operation was to limit access of tobacco products to underage person(s), and confirm the local businesses are operating within the law. Four cashiers were arrested and released on misdemeanor citations for selling tobacco to persons under the age of 21. The underage decoy attempted to make purchases of tobacco products at 12 locations throughout the City that are commonly referred to as “smoke shops.” Cashiers at four of the establishments sold tobacco products to the underage decoy. The other eight turned the decoy away without selling any tobacco products. In an ongoing effort to prevent access to certain products by teens, the Thousand Oaks Police Department’s Directed Enforcement Unit will continue to conduct periodic sting operations dealing with tobacco products to confirm retailers in the area are doing their part to prevent access of tobacco products to underage person(s). All of the suspects that sold tobacco products to the underage decoy were arrested for Penal Code section 308(a)(1). The Thousand Oaks Police Department would like to thank the other eight businesses that did not sell tobacco products to the underage decoy. CHIEF OF POLICE COMMANDER TIM HAGEL SHERIFF GEOFF DEAN Page 2 of 2 Prepared by: Sergeant Brian Baker Media Release Date: May 1, 2018 Media Follow-Up Contact: Senior Deputy Cesar Salas (805) 947-8229 Approved by: Captain Don Aguilar
Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511