It appears to be pretty easy for minors to buy beer on Houston's East Side.
Harris County Precinct 6 Constables and State Liquor Enforcement officers sent a 16-year-old girl to 10 East Side convenience stores on Friday night. She had money, but no identification. In each case she placed a six pack of beer on the counter. Deputies tell us five of the ten stores sold her the beer.
"The store employee did not ask for any type of ID to verify that the person buying the alcoholic beverage was in fact a minor," said Sgt. Julio Banda of the Precinct 6 Constables Office.
The five stores cited were the Vargas Drive Inn at 6001 Sherman, Pat's Food Market at 804 Dumble, Canal Food Mart at 3518 Canal, Bentke's Food Market at 4102 Canal, and the Magnolia Super Market in the 1000 block of Cezar Chavez.
Susie Bentke of Bentke Food Market was sorry and frustrated that she sold to the decoy.
"Yes, I should have ID'd her! She looked 25. She looked very mature. She did not look 16," Bentke said emphatically.
One employee of the Vargas Drive Inn had a similar complaint but would not go on camera.
The Harris County Constable has a different story.
"We need help here. It's not just a juvenile problem, it's a society problem and everyone has got to get involved. You got to talk to your kids," said Precinct 6 Constable Victor Trevino.
Vernitta Lenor councils alcoholics at Phoenix House.
"Easy retail access is one of the major ways of kids getting alcohol," Lenor said.
She also claims alcohol problems often begin at a very young age.
"Statistics show that underage drinking begins at age nine," she said.
Maximum punishment for the clerks is a year in jail and a $4,000 dollar fine. The convenience stores could lose their liquor licence.
Harris County Precinct 6 Constables and State Liquor Enforcement officers sent a 16-year-old girl to 10 East Side convenience stores on Friday night. She had money, but no identification. In each case she placed a six pack of beer on the counter. Deputies tell us five of the ten stores sold her the beer.
"The store employee did not ask for any type of ID to verify that the person buying the alcoholic beverage was in fact a minor," said Sgt. Julio Banda of the Precinct 6 Constables Office.
The five stores cited were the Vargas Drive Inn at 6001 Sherman, Pat's Food Market at 804 Dumble, Canal Food Mart at 3518 Canal, Bentke's Food Market at 4102 Canal, and the Magnolia Super Market in the 1000 block of Cezar Chavez.
Susie Bentke of Bentke Food Market was sorry and frustrated that she sold to the decoy.
"Yes, I should have ID'd her! She looked 25. She looked very mature. She did not look 16," Bentke said emphatically.
One employee of the Vargas Drive Inn had a similar complaint but would not go on camera.
The Harris County Constable has a different story.
"We need help here. It's not just a juvenile problem, it's a society problem and everyone has got to get involved. You got to talk to your kids," said Precinct 6 Constable Victor Trevino.
Vernitta Lenor councils alcoholics at Phoenix House.
"Easy retail access is one of the major ways of kids getting alcohol," Lenor said.
She also claims alcohol problems often begin at a very young age.
"Statistics show that underage drinking begins at age nine," she said.
Maximum punishment for the clerks is a year in jail and a $4,000 dollar fine. The convenience stores could lose their liquor licence.
