The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office conducted alcohol compliance checks at multiple retail establishments within the Charlotte Hall and Mechanicsville areas, to ensure and encourage the prohibition of illegal alcohol sales to minors under the age of 21.
These compliance checks were completed at random businesses who hold alcohol licenses within St. Mary’s County.
With the assistance of a 19-year-old, confidential informant (Cl) and St. Mary’s County Deputy G. Muschette, a compliance check was conducted on Sunday, June 24, 2018.
Upon completion of the transaction, both the Cl and Deputy Muschette exited the store and met with a uniformed officer, where they reported the sale of alcohol to the CI.
Corporal Krum entered the store and observed the female who matched the description provided by the Cl and Deputy Muschette. He approached the woman, who was later identified as Sherri Elizabeth Johnson, 59, of Mechanicsville.
Krum informed Johnson that she had sold an alcoholic beverage to a person under the age of 21 in violation of law. Johnson was the only employee working within the establishment at the time of the sale.
Johnson was extremely cooperative throughout the investigation and very forthright with information.
Johnson told police, she believed the Cl, “looked old enough” and informed them, she was very busy being the only employee within the store and running three cash registers on top of handling customers’ requests for fuel and grocery transactions. Police confirmed the business was extremely busy during their time there and observed the Johnson completing multiple jobs at once to include various registers
Johnson was issued a criminal summons and charged with selling alcohol to a person under the age of 21.
