San Luis Obispo Store Clerk Faces Misdemeanor Citation for Selling Alcohol to Minor

A San Luis Obispo convenience store clerk was cited on a misdemeanor charge for selling alcohol to a minor during a minor decoy operation, according to a City of San Luis Obispo statement issued on January 13, 2026.

San Luis Obispo police officers coordinated with agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to conduct a shoulder tap and minor decoy operation. During the minor decoy operation, law enforcement agents supervise a minor who attempts to purchase alcohol from liquor and other retail stores in the city.

Of the 19 locations visited, one business — Laguna Shell at 11590 Los Osos Valley Road — sold alcohol to the minor decoy despite viewing the minor’s actual identification card, which indicated they were under 21, according to the City.

The shop’s clerk, Elizabeth Ann Clanin of San Luis Obispo, was cited and released on a misdemeanor charge of furnishing alcohol to a minor, Business and Professions Code 25658(a), according to the statement. 

SLOPD has issued a media release regarding the result of a shoulder tap & minor decoy operation held on Monday, January 12, 2026: https://t.co/x4IgMc8ugA pic.twitter.com/1IiAjcDcQ6

— San Luis Obispo Police Department (@SLOCityPolice) January 14, 2026

Clerks found selling alcohol to a minor can face a minimum fine of $250, with 24 to 32 hours of community service for the first violation, the City said. 

A shoulder tap operation focuses on adults who purchase alcohol for persons under the age of 21 years, the City said. As part of the operation, a minor under the supervision of law enforcement agents stands outside a liquor or convenience store and asks customers to buy alcohol for them.

The minor also mentions that they cannot buy alcohol as they are underage. 

If an adult agrees to buy alcohol for an underage person, they can be arrested and cited. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor includes a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service, the City said.

Officers contacted 25 individuals across four locations in San Luis Obispo and reported no violations, with no adults willing to purchase alcohol for minors, the City said. 

In addition, ABC may initiate administrative action against the alcoholic beverage license of the business that sold alcohol to a minor, which may include a fine, suspension, or permanent revocation of the license.

During these operations, the minor decoy is truthful about their age when asked and provides their actual state-issued identification card to clerks upon request, the City stated.

The operations were funded by a grant from the ABC Alcohol Policing Partnership program, the statement said.  

“ABC conducts these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth,” said ABC Acting Director Frank Robles.

The quality of life of the communities can be enhanced and DUIs can be reduced by preventing underage drinking, Robles added.

Young persons under the age of 21 have a higher risk of being involved in a car accident than older drivers, according to the statement.

About 30% of drivers ages 15 to 20 who were killed in crashes in 2023 had measurable blood alcohol levels, according to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA). The minimum-drinking-age laws have saved 31,959 lives from 1975 to 2017, the agency added.