By LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / May 26, 1999

HAHNVILLE – A one-day undercover sweep of St. Charles Parish packagealcohol outlets netted 15 arrests Friday evening.

“This is not about making arrests,” Sheriff Greg Champagne said. “Themessage I hope to send through this effort is that store cashiers and owners need to be responsible in their sale of alcohol. They must knowthat if they choose to break the law, they will never know if we are watching.”Responding to complaints by some local parents, underage customers, working with deputies, attempted to buy alcohol from 34 stores throughout St. Charles Parish. The first arrest was made at 5:11 p.m.Friday and, by 7:45 p.m., 15 people had been booked.Seven of the 15 stores are located in St. Rose.”We just went across the parish and let the chips fall where they may,” Champagne said, adding: “They were arrested on the spot. There was noquestion about identification.”Those arrested were charged with unlawful sale of alcoholic beverages.

Bond was set at $2,500 by 29th Judicial District Judge Robert Chaisson, and all were released upon posting bond. They include: Elvira Ruiz Castaneda, 56, 341 Rosedown Drive, LaPlace. Sale at Rose’sFood Store, 11072 River Road, St. Rose. Tang Xuan Phu, 34, 245 Dianne Drive, St. Rose. Sale at Kwik and Fast,11734 River Road, St. Rose. A 15-year-old New Orleans juvenile. Sale at Bonura’s Supermarket, 1Bonura Drive, St. Rose. Junius Markee Jr., 50, 507 Paul Maillard Road, Luling. Sale at Circle K,10431 Airline Highway, St. Rose. Roxanne M. Cook, 25, 72 Bonura St., St. Rose. Sale at Racetrac, 521Almedia Road, St. Rose. Nancy Mary Hebert, 36, 122 Augustin Lane, LaPlace. Sale at Holmes FoodMart, 638 Airline Highway, Norco.

Michelle Ann Faucheaux, 30, 315 Good Hope St., Norco. Sale at E-Z Serve,1900 Ormond Blvd., Destrehan. Stephanie S. Nichols, 27, 385-B Carolyn Drive, New Sarpy. Sale atHolmes Food Mart, 26 Apple St., Norco. Anita Garland, 42, 216 Oak St., St. Rose. Sale at Kart-n-Karry, 101 St.Rose Ave., St. Rose. Charlene Markey, 17, 160 Hahn St., Hahnville. Sale at HahnvilleEconomical, 15661 River Road, Hahnville.

Janice Royal, 51, 358 First St., St. Rose. Sale at Holmes Food Mart,15427 River Road, St. Rose. Bertha Daigle, 74, 2801 Louisiana Highway 306, Des Allemands. Sale atJim’s Market, 2801 Louisiana Highway 306, Des Allemands.

Tinh H. Neuyen, 19, 13499 River Road, Luling. Sale at Triangle FoodStore, 13499 River Road, Luling.

Billie Osborne, 17, 3942 U.S. Highway 90, Des Allemands. Sale atMelissa’s Mini Mart, 12361 U.S. Highway 90, Luling. Denise B. Francis, 35, 414 Ristoph St., Luling. Sale at Jif’s Mart, 10399River Road, Ama.

If convicted, each suspect could face up to six months in prison and a $100 fine. The stores where the sales took place could likewise face loss oftheir license to sell alcoholic beverages.

In the course of the sweep, 19 stores requested identification of the customers and, in doing so, refused sale of alcohol to the undercover juveniles.

Champage said, “They should be commended for being responsible community businesses.”Those stores where no illegal alcohol sales were noted in the sweep incude: Boutte: Pardner’s, Champion’s Exxon, Racetrac, Morgan’s Discount Tobacco, Mobil, Circle K, Gator Stop; Hahnville: Holmes Food Mart, E-Z Serve; Luling: Conoco, Lone Star E-Z Serve, Oak Lane E-Z Serve, Jif’s Mini- Mart; Paradis: E-Z Serve, Kart-n-Karry; Des Allemands: Somme’s, Red Sun; Norco: Kart-n-Karry; New Sarpy: Holmes Food Mart.

“My goal is to conduct these operations and report that we have found no violations,” Champagne said.

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