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Samantha Hayes ReportingSalt Lake County Sheriff's deputies are trying to catch adults who buy alcohol for those underage. Working undercover, they say, this has been a problem all summer. It's worse now, in particular, for last hurrah parties before school starts.
Detectives have heard about underage kids standing outside of gas stations and liquor stores, bribing people to buy booze for them.
The man in the yellow shirt does not realize there are Salt Lake County deputies around every corner, and an Eyewitness News camera across the street.
He's just heading into the convenience store when two undercover operatives stop him and ask him to buy beer. For a fee, he agrees and heads to the back of the store where the refrigerators are. A few minutes later he walks out, beer in hand, and the exchange is made.
Detectives say this kind of thing is happening all the time, that's why they are cracking down.
Sgt. Scott Van Waggoner, Salt Lake County Sheriff's Department: "We are hoping to send a strong message that if you' re approached by someone underage, or even if they appear to be underage, please do not be tempted to purchase alcohol for these people, no matter what gratuity they are going to offer you."
Detectives say their undercover assistants approached people three times and every time, the adult agreed to buy alcohol for them. Now they are paying the price.
Sgt. Scott Van Waggoner: "It's going to cost you money if you are caught. And certainly if these children, and they are children, young adults consume alcohol and hurt somebody else, you can be an accomplice to that action."
The misdemeanor charge for this is one thousand dollars and potentially six months in jail.
