The Tennessee Alcohol Beverage Commission (ABC) have been busy conducting underage alcohol stings in Nashville Davidson County Tennessee this summer.. The ABC and the Davidson County Beer Board have concurrent jurisdiction on enforcement of underage sales to minors. It is also a criminal offense to sale beer or alcohol to minors under T.C.A. 57-5-301 .Here is how the sting works and the consequences of the sale.

First, a ABC agent goes into a bar or restaurant with someone that is under 21. The confidential informant asks to buy a beer. The server or clerk does not ask for a identification or makes a mistake in reading the date of birth. If the sale is made, the officer will issue a criminal citation to the server or clerk for the sale to a minor. It is a Class A misdemeanor which carries a fine up to $2500.00 plus up to 11 months and 29 days in jail.

The permit holder then faces some punishment. You will get a citation from the ABC. The punishment can be a fine or it it lead to a revocation of your ABC permit. Then, one will get a citation from the Davidson County Beer Board. A first offense carries up to a $2500.00 civil penalty.

There are three separate punishments for the sale of one beer to a minor. The criminal citation is usually the easiest to handle successfully. The ABC and beer board are a different ballgame. I was a member of the Davidson County Beer B. since , my term was not renewed by an incoming mayor, I have been handling cases before the beer board and the ABC. It is a maze of administrative laws that is sometimes hard to navigate especially the appeal process. The bottom line is to hire good folks and make sure they are rained to ask for identification from everyone.