Watsonville police arrest store employee in underage alcohol sting

Last week, the Watsonville Police Department sent underage volunteers into businesses and asked them to attempt to buy alcohol.

Eleven stores refused to sell to the underage decoys. One store, El Pueblo Market, was the exception.

Police announced Thursday that officers arrested one of the market’s employees for selling alcohol to a minor on Dec. 15, 2016. The employee was cited and released at the scene.

Police say the following stores refused service to the underage volunteers:

Freedom Shell gas station, La Princesa Market on Freedom Blvd., Mi Pueblo Food Center, 7-11 on Freedom Blvd., Town and Country Liquors, Grocery Outlet, La Tiendita Market, CVS Pharmacy on Rodriguez St., George’s Liquor Store, Quick Stop Market, and Walgreens.

The minor decoy operation is a year-long program funded by a grant from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.