The sheriff’s office cited clerks at three stores in Lake County after they were caught selling tobacco or nicotine products to people under 21.
Throughout January, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office conducted this year’s first round of tobacco compliance checks at businesses throughout the county that sell tobacco and nicotine products.
The compliance checks are funded through a tobacco enforcement grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said.
“The compliance checks are intended to ensure businesses selling tobacco/nicotine products display proper tobacco sale signage and are following appropriate identification procedures to ensure products are not sold to anyone under the age of 21,” Covelli said.
Out of the 74 stores checked, three were found in violation and 71 successfully passed the compliance check.
The clerks at the three stores that were subsequently cited were Erica Decker at Anna’s Marketplace Citgo, 38512 North Sheridan Road in Beach Park; Miriam Santana at Quick Stop Food & Liquor 2, 37737 North Green Bay Road in Beach Park; and Anais Negron at Moshi’s Tobacco & Vape, 34491 North Old Walnut Circle in unincorporated Gurnee.
The businesses checked include those within the jurisdiction of the Lake County Sheriffโs Office or communities that contract with the sheriffโs office for policing services, not those within municipal limits.
Last year, the sheriff’s office found three out of 73 stores in violation during their third round of checks for 2023.