News and Investigations

Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff's Office checked another six stores on Monday, September 25, 2023, as part of the ongoing Operation Pop-Top.

The deputies are assisted by a high-school student who attempts to purchase an alcoholic beverage from the stores; this is done to ensure that the stores and clerks are being compliant with state law which prohibits the sale of alcohol to people under 21-years of age.

The students who assist in the operation are members of the PCSO Explorers. The program is for high-school children who are interested in a career in law enforcement.

During Monday's checks, they visited stores in the Lake Wales and Dundee areas, with four of the stores refusing to sell to the student.

Two sales clerks were arrested after they sold an alcoholic beverage to the 17-year old student. The arrested clerks were: 65-year old Jagrani Ramcharran, sales clerk at the Citgo station at 302 East Main Street in Dundee, and 21-year old Leah Ormond, a sales clerk at the WaWa store at 23623 US 27 in Lake Wales.

Both clerks were charged with selling alcoholic beverage to a person under 21 years old, a misdemeanor.

"It's a big responsibility of sales clerks and stores, to make sure that they refuse to sell alcohol to anyone under 21. It's a safety issue for the children of our community, and that's why we do these checks frequently." - Grady Judd, Sheriff.