UPDATE: Three Albert Lea bar staffers to stand trial on charges of serving alcohol to minors
(ABC 6 News) – UPDATE: The three Albert Lea bar staffers accused of furnishing alcohol to a minor during routine Alcohol Compliance checks are all scheduled to stand trial in June.
Each of the woman is scheduled for a pretrial June 1, with a court trial June 21.
Furnishing alcohol to an underage person is a gross misdemeanor offense. If the three staffers are found guilty, they could face jail time or a fine of up to $3,000.
(ABC 6 News) – Three Albert Lea bar staffers appeared in Freeborn County Court Thursday on charges of providing liquor to persons under 21.
The staffers work at Eddie’s Bar, the Elbow Room, and Trumbles 2, according to court documents.
According to court documents, the three women all served alcohol to 20-year-old decoys sent in to buy beer by Albert Lea police in a routine Alcohol Compliance check.
Albert Lea police claim Denise Inez Peterson, 57, of Eddie’s Bar (719 Marshall Street) checked a 20-year-old man’s ID, which stated his birthday was in 2002, and served him a Michelob Ultra after ‘doing the math wrong’ on Dec. 19.
According to court documents, Mindy Suzanne Seberson, 43, a server at the Elbow Room (310 E 8th Street) also claimed to have done her math incorrectly after being told she had served a 20-year-old on Dec. 19.
Brandiwine Grothe, also known as Brandi Buschman in court documents, is also accused of serving the 20-year-old decoy at Trumbles 2 (1811 E Main Street) on Dec. 22. According to court documents, she did not ask for any form of ID before serving the young man alcohol and told law enforcement she didn’t check because “kids” don’t often go to Trumbles.
Furnishing alcohol to an underage person is a gross misdemeanor offense. If the three staffers are found guilty, they could face jail time or a fine of up to $3,000.
Director of Public Safety JD Carlson with Albert Lea police said habitual violations of the law against selling alcohol to people under 21 could result in administrative fees or a loss of a business’ liquor license.
The Albert Lea Police Department hosts server training for local businesses, but Carlson said it is not mandatory.