DATE / TIME: Thursday, January 16, 2020/ 5:00PM-10:00PM
LOCATION: Jacks Liquor 1605 E. Mission Blvd, Pomona, CA. along with several tobacco licensed locations throughout Pomona.
CRIME: 308 (a)(1) (A)(i)PC, Furnish Tobacco To A Minor.
25658(A) B&P, Furnish Alcohol to a Minor.
VICTIM: City of Pomona
SUSPECT: Jack Rhee, 45 years old, Diamond Bar Resident. (Liquor Store Clerk).
UNIT: Pomona PD Officers funded by Proposition 56.
NARRATIVE:
On Thursday, January 16th, members of the Pomona Police Department participated in a Tobacco Minor Decoy (Shoulder Tap) Operation conducted throughout the City of Pomona. A concerned effort is being made to reduce the availability of tobacco to minors, and Shoulder Tap Operations are a known method to reduce the availability of tobacco to minors.
Two decoys, 19 & 16 years old, under the direct supervision of officers, were sent to various tobacco-licensed locations throughout the city. The minor decoys waited outside each location and mentioned to patrons they were under the age of 21 and asked if they could purchase tobacco for them. The decoys contacted (9) nine adults of which (4) four agreed to purchase tobacco. After the tobacco was furnished to the minor decoys the adults were detained. After they were positively identified they were issued citations for furnishing tobacco to a minor.
In addition, the decoys contacted a subject to the front of Jack’s Liquor located at 1605 E. Mission Blvd. The subject agreed to buy tobacco and walked into the market. He exited and handed the cigarettes to the decoys. Officers made contact and determined the subject was only 19years old, and should not have been able to purchase tobacco. He was also carrying several tall cans of alcohol that he admitted buying from the same clerk. Officers made contact with the clerk who admitted selling the alcohol and tobacco to the minor. The suspect was eventually issued a citation for furnishing alcohol to a minor.
This project is part of the California DOJ Tobacco Grant Project, funded by the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tax Act (Proposition 56). The Pomona Police Department would like to remind everyone the legal age to buy/ possess tobacco in California is 21 years of age and over.
Written by:
Sergeant Jon Edson
Pomona Police Department
