Buffalo Grove Businesses Cited with Underage Alcohol Sales

Employees at three Buffalo Grove businesses were cited with selling alcohol to underage customers during an undercover operation in May.

Buffalo Grove police conducted liquor compliance checks alongside other members of the . They teamed with young adults in the community to see whether they would be able to purchase alcohol using identification that showed they were younger than 21.

Cited with selling alcohol to a minor on May 23 were employee Jason Germack, 23, of Buffalo Grove; employee Wendy Plimpton, 40, of McHenry; and employee Hardik Patel, 35, of Streamwood.

Sale of alcohol to a person younger than 21 years of age is illegal under local and state laws. It is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, fine or probation. Businesses also can be fined for violations. Buffalo Grove police Cmdr. Jim Newton said Thursday that a village liquor hearing was held earlier this week and a ruling has not yet been made.

Other police departments that conducted compliance checks were Highland Park, Mundelein, Deerfield, Zion, Winthrop Harbor, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Lake Zurich and Riverwoods.

The majority of businesses checked in those towns were also in compliance. Violations were found at one business in Zion, one business in Lake Zurich and six locations checked by the Lake County Sheriff’s Department. Including Buffalo Grove, checks were conducted at 180 businesses.

“Consistency from community to community and monitoring underage drinking issues will help us be successful in addressing this problem and saving lives. Our desire is to see 100 percent compliance, but it is refreshing to see the majority of businesses realize the seriousness of this issue and did not sell alcohol to the underage participants,” Mundelein Police Chief Raymond Rose, co-chairman of the Lake County Underage Drinking Prevention Task Force, said in a statement.

Compliance checks generally are conducted in Buffalo Grove three times a year, Deputy Chief Steve Husak said at a recent task force meeting. The spring checks were done in conjunction with prom season, he said.

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