Copiague delis cited by State Liquor Authority, cops say
Two businesses were cited — and two employees ticketed — for allegedly selling alcohol to an underage police operative during a State Liquor Authority inspection crackdown in Copiague, Suffolk County police said Thursday.
One of the businesses was also cited for having illegal video poker and selling untaxed cigarettes, police said.
Police said the inspections, carried out Wednesday in the Town of Babylon, led to infractions being cited at Los Hermanos Jason Deli on Sunrise Highway and at the R & J Deli, also on Sunrise.
At the first store, police said, a clerk sold alcohol to the underage operative. The second store, R & J, not only sold alcohol to the operative, police said, but it had installed video poker terminals illegally on premises — and the store had untaxed cigarettes for sale.
Police said a 27-year-old employee at Jason Deli was issued a field appearance ticket for first-degree unlawfully dealing with a child, as well as alcohol sale to a person under age 21.
Police said the 54-year-old owner of the second deli was issued a field appearance ticket for first-degree unlawfully dealing with a child, two counts of sale to a person under age 21, disorderly premise, promoting gambling, possession of gambling devices and possession of untaxed cigarettes.
Both of those ticketed are due in court on April 25.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
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