Buying Booze For Minors Lands Some In Jail, Others With Court Date

Deputies with the Morongo Basin Station of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department recently conducted a sting operation to catch adults buying alcohol for minors outside convenience stores.

The sting was codenamed “Shoulder Tap.” Deputies used minor decoys to approach adults as they enter a store and ask them if they would buy them alcohol. Customers who purchased it were turned over to law enforcement.

During the 8-hour operation, seven adults were arrested for purchasing alcohol for minors.

Those arrested were: Chad Pritchett, 25, a resident of Yucca Valley; Christopher Swift, 44, a resident of Studio City; Samuel Williams, 24, a resident of Yucca Valley; Devin Yancey, 25, a resident of Yucca Valley; and Alexander Harper, 29, a resident of Ontario. Each of these five subjects was released on a signed promise to appear in court at a later date.

Lawrence Lipkins, a 27 year old resident of Twentynine Palms, was arrested for providing alcoholic beverages to a minor. During this contact he was also found to be wanted on a felony arrest warrant. He was booked into the Morongo Basin Jail and is being held without bail.

William Phillips, a 29 year old resident of Twentynine Palms, was arrested for providing alcoholic beverages to a minor. During this contact he was found to have two active misdemeanor traffic warrants. He was also booked into the Morongo Basin Jail and is being held in lieu of $30,000 bail.