Warner Robins council puts stores on probation

WARNER ROBINS -- City Council on Tuesday put four stores on probation for selling alcohol to someone younger than the legal drinking age of 21.

The council voted unanimously to put the stores on six months of probation, because it was a first offense for each store. City Attorney Jim Elliott said the council has usually given probation to stores for the first offense.

"I rarely have ever seen a revocation on a first offense," Elliott said after the meeting.

Should the stores have another violation during the probation period, it's likely the council would revoke the license, he said.

The businesses involved were three convenience stores and one liquor store. An employee at each store sold alcohol to someone under 21 who was working undercover for the Georgia Department of Revenue in an investigation in September.

The employees who made the sale were convicted in each instance.

The stores were Bobby's Food Mart at 2129 Elberta Road, J.B. Liquor at 514 Davis Drive, Lolo Food Store at 701 N. Houston Road and 7-Star Food Mart at 699 N. Davis Drive.

Representatives of three of the stores appeared before the council in Tuesday's pre-council meeting. They had little to say and promised to be more vigilant with checking identifications.

Also Tuesday, the council upheld denial of a pawnbroker license to Johnnie Lamar. Lamar was planning to operate a scrap tire business, but that falls under the pawnbroker license because it involved sales of secondhand items.

Lamar's license was rejected by city staff because he had three prior theft-by-taking convictions and one shoplifting conviction. He appealed to the council.

The incidents took place from 1996 until last June. Lamar said he is "a changed man" and a deacon at his church. He asked the council to forgive his offenses and grant the license.

The council voted unanimously to uphold the decision to deny the license.

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 9:31 PM with the headline "Warner Robins council puts stores on probation ."