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The six clerks were caught during a series of alcohol compliance checks conducted over three weeks in May 2023 by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, authorities announced on Tuesday, Aug. 1.
The checks targeted stores in each town and village in Putnam at various times of day to make sure that they would not sell alcohol to people under the age of 21. To do this, an underage person under direct supervision by a law enforcement officer would try buying alcohol from the establishment without showing proof of age.
If the sale was still completed, the clerk would then be issued an arrest summons and charged with first-degree unlawfully dealing with a child, authorities said.
Some of the clerks and the business they worked at were identified as:
- Highland Wine and Liquor in Cold Spring at 3182 Route 9;
- Valley Stream resident Amarpreet Singh, age 34, who worked at Brewster Gulf at 1565 Route 22;
- Brewster resident Keyli Lopez-Vasquez, age 27, who worked at La Marqueta Market in Brewster at 196 Main St.;
- Shrub Oak resident Dominick Servedio, age 58, who worked at Bella Vino Spirits in Brewster at 981 Route 22;
- Patterson resident Grace O'Dell, age 30, who worked at Patterson Wines and Spirits at 1270 Route 311;
- Wingdale resident George Purdy, age 68, who worked at Patterson Autobody Convenience Store at 2597 Route 22.
The clerks were all given appearance tickets returnable to the appropriate local justice court, the Sheriff's Office said.
Although six clerks were charged, Putnam County Sheriff Kevin McConville said that the "vast majority" of stores "took the time to verify that those persons making an alcohol purchase are of a legal age.”
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