By Darrell Halen
Underage buyers were able to purchase alcohol at 14 stores in Salem during a police-conducted alcohol compliance check on 58 businesses.
The underage buyers went into the stores and restaurants during the evening of Friday, Jan. 18.
The store clerks and waitstaff that sold to them were issued a summons for prohibited sales. The New Hampshire State Liquor Commission will be issuing an administrative summons to the businesses.
Deputy Police Chief Bill Ganley said four buyers were used in the check. The buyers look youthful and presented identification when asked for it. Some workers sold alcohol even after checking an ID, Ganley said.
“The whole point ... is to try to get to 100 percent compliance,” he said. “It’s not to punish people, but to keep them on their toes.”
The workers who were issued a summons are:
Michael Baez, 22, Methuen, Mass. (Cumberland Farms); Warren Perry, 52, Lawrence, Mass. (Salem Exxon); Nancy Seligman, 48, Derry (B & H Oil); Pritish Patel, 20, Methuen, Mass. (Salem Convenience); Belinda Overdeput, 16, Salem (Mike’s Red Barn); John Russo, 35, Salem (Store 24); Jose Pabon, 28, Methuen, Mass. (K-Mart); Joseph Meadows, 67, Derry (Centerplate); Hudson Wells, 19, Salem (Irving); Meryl Thomas, 56, Derry (Hess Express); Shayna Padden, 22, Sandown (T-Bones); Lori Mogauro, 45, Pelham (Bertucci’s); Kelly McCarthy, 38, Salem (7-11); Binh Nguyen, 19, Lawrence, Mass. (Tokyo Steakhouse).
The compliance checks were funded by a grant from the New Hampshire Department of Justice to address underage drinking.
Two of the establishments are repeat offenders, according to police.
Mike’s Red Barn was cited during alcohol compliance checks in May and July 2007, and Hess was cited in May 2007.