One Arrested in La Mesa Sting Operation for Furnishing Alcohol to Minors

LMPD and ABC agents conduct Shoulder Tap operation to deter adults from buying alcohol for underage drinkers.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The La Mesa Police Department and agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control arrested one person on February 7 for reportedly buying alcoholic beverages for minors during a Shoulder Tap operation in La Mesa. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum fine of $1,000 and 24 hours of community service.

Why it matters

Shoulder Tap operations aim to restrict underage access to alcohol by deterring adults from purchasing alcohol for minors, which helps keep the community safe and protects the health and well-being of young people.

The details

During the Shoulder Tap operation, a minor under the direct supervision of law enforcement stood outside of a liquor or convenience store and asked customers to buy them alcohol, indicating they were underage and could not purchase it themselves. If an adult agreed to purchase alcohol for the underage person, they could be arrested and cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor.

  • The operation was conducted on February 7, 2026.

The players

La Mesa Police Department

The local law enforcement agency that conducted the Shoulder Tap operation in La Mesa.

California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

The state agency that partnered with the La Mesa Police Department to conduct the Shoulder Tap operation.

Paul Tupy

The director of the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Ray Sweeney

The police chief of the La Mesa Police Department.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“'Minor Decoy and Shoulder Tap help restrict underage access to alcohol by deterring adults from selling to them. These programs have steadily decreased the accessibility of minors to obtain alcohol from licensed premises and the general public.'”

— Paul Tupy, ABC director (Times)

“'Keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors helps to keep our community safe and protects the health and well-being of young people in our region.'”

— Ray Sweeney, La Mesa police chief (Times)

What’s next

The arrested individual will face a minimum fine of $1,000 and 24 hours of community service for furnishing alcohol to a minor.

The takeaway

Shoulder Tap operations are an effective tool used by law enforcement and alcohol regulatory agencies to deter adults from purchasing alcohol for underage individuals, helping to keep communities safe and protect young people.