Local officials carried out an undercover sting at “On Tap,” a bar near the University of Central Florida, on Friday night, nabbing three bartenders who were accused of selling alcoholic beverages to a person under 21.
The operations sting, known as the Orange County Drug Free Coalition underage drinking enforcement detail, uses a Confidential Informant, according to the police report. The report states that the informant, who must be under the age of 21, have no facial hair if male, and not be “dressed up” or “wearing revealing attire” for females, enters a bar and tries to buy alcohol underage.
Similar operations were conducted by police several years ago at bars near UCF. In that case, four bartenders were arrested on underage sale charges including one bartender, Nicole Maduros, who had her charges dropped, according to her attorney Allison Edwards. The others arrested also had their charges dropped, according to court records.
Since records show these details have had significant challenges convincing the prosecutors to file charges, KnightNews.com is withholding last names and mugshots until it is more clear how the state will move forward with the charges.
According to the first arrest report, the informant paid $10 in cover using investigative currency to enter the bar, however, did not receive a wristband. The informant soon ordered a Rum and Coke from a bartender, later identified as a woman named Britany, 22, who sold the alcoholic drink to the informant without checking for an ID or wristband, according to the report.
After the hand-to-hand transaction, Officer Eduard Turso — the Sheriff’s deputy involved in the operation detail, took possession of the shot from the informant, verified its content through smell and took an evidence sample before arresting Britany on charges of Selling, Giving or Serving alcoholic beverages to persons under 21.
Two other bartenders were arrested at the bar in similar situations — a police informant, who is under 21, purchases an alcoholic beverages using investigative currency without being prompted for identification. After verifying the contents of the beverage, police arrest the bartender who served the drink on charges of Selling, Giving or Serving alcoholic beverages to persons under 21.
Olivia, 18, was one of the bartenders caught in the detail who is accused of selling a drink to the informant without checking for identification. Another bartender named Anthony, 21, was arrested in a similar situation as well.
Click next page to see police reports from the sting.
