Selling alcohol to anyone under 21 is a no-no, according to law, but a number of businesses in the Mandeville and Slidell areas were caught red-handed recently thanks to an undercover sting operation by police.

Using three underage decoys, the Slidell Police Department issued 27 citations Friday for selling alcohol to a person under the age of 21 in a sting operation that focused on 46 local businesses.

In Mandeville, 12 of the 15 locations examined received a big fat F by police standards for selling alcohol to an underage person. Slidell’s operation started at noon Friday and ended at midnight Saturday, according to Slidell Police Department spokesman Capt. Kevin Foltz. The stores where employees were cited ranged from small convenience stores to major food chains. Foltz said some of the stores targeted were the result of complaints from Slidell residents.

One female and two males, all 20 years old, worked with police and went into stores and attempted to buy alcohol. Of the 46 locations visited, 27 people sold alcohol to the three decoys without asking for identification and proof of age.

At the Kangaroo Express gas station on Voters Road, Foltz said the cashier only asked the decoys to show him their credit card.

“They wanted to make it look like they were asking for proof of age,” Foltz said.

One gas station, Race-Trac on Gause Boulevard, was hit twice by the decoys, Foltz said.

During the earlier try, proof of age was asked for, but not on the second attempt to purchase alcohol later that evening.

The overtime money for the sting was funded by part of a $75,000 grant from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. The police used $40,000 for the sting operation, and the remaining $35,000 is being used for DWI and seat belt enforcement. Foltz said the grant is to help lower the accident rate involving intoxicated drivers under the age of 21.

This is not the first time the SPD has run a sting operation on alcohol sales to minors, and Police Chief Freddie Drennan said the success of the past operations was key to getting the grant money.

“Based on the results we have had in the past with similar type operations, the Commission agreed, and gave us a grant for overtime to address this issue,” Drennan said.

The Mandeville Police Department found two volunteers under 21 years of age to help in their operation.

The police had the individuals enter 15 randomly selected retail establishments and try and purchase alcohol.

“We try and conduct the operation at least once a year,” Capt. Ron Ruple said. “Considering every time we do it we end up citing at least a portion of the businesses, it’s kind of unusual for the percentage to be so high.”

High is an understatement.

In Mandeville’s case, 80 percent of the businesses tested ultimately failed.

That’s a staggering number, Ruple said, especially when considering the dozen or so schools located around the city.

“This is a little high compared to some of the ones in the past, so we’ll look into it and probably do it again soon,” Ruple said.

The cashiers who sold the alcohol were issued citations, Ruple said, that can range from a $150 to a $300 fine.

“We expect the employers will deal with the employees,” Ruple said.

Those cited and their locations were: Mohammad Sirbel, 27, Fuel Smart, 3959 Louisiana Highway 22; Patrick McDonald Jr., 19, Chevron, 3809 La. 22; Adriana Farria, 18, Jemworks, 500 North Causeway Blvd.; Richard Riggs, 33, NorthShore Shell, 501 North Causeway Blvd.; a 16-year-old, Bargain Stop, 2720 Florida St.; Grant Cosine, 30, Rusty’s Spirits & Tobacco, 1848 Florida St.; Michelle Olinger, 36, Texaco, 2000 Florida St.; Jennifer Szelinga, 42, Shell, 1948 Florida St.; Seth Schwerin, 25, Rouses Super Market, 3461 E. Causeway Approach; Christopher Catorie, 26, Chili’s Bar and Grill, 3420 E. Causeway Approach; Michael Murphy, 29, Times Bar and Grill, 1896 N. Causeway Blvd.; and Gloria Sawyer, 45, CVS Pharmacy, 2915 U.S. Highway 190.

The establishments that refused to sell alcohol to the subjects were Winn Dixie, 619 N. Causeway Blvd.; K-Mart, 3555 U.S. Highway 190; and Macaroni Grill, 3419 U.S. Highway 190.

Those issued summons in Slidell for unlawful sale of alcohol to a minor and the stores where they worked were, Steven Christoforo, 47, Shell at 1610 Gause Blvd.; Mary Davis, 50, Texaco at 350 Voters Road; Cindy Mitchell, 43, Shell at 853 Gause Blvd.; Amy M. Lebouef, 28, Shell at 750 Brownswitch Road; Dawn G. Midkiff, 40, Eagle at 2060 Old Spanish Trail; Jenniece Miller, 49, Circle K store 1150 Front St.; Elizabeth A. Burton, 22, Rouse’s, 110 Gause Blvd.; John W. Dunphy, 53, Rite-Aid, 113 Gause Blvd.; Salaesha R. Allen, 17, Winn-Dixie, 3030 Pontchartrain Drive; Sharon M. Tackett, 46, Jubilee, 1418 Gause Blvd.; Kim Hovick, 44, Top Fuel, 3898 Pontchartrain Drive; Shannon M. Helmstetter, 26, Conoco, Third Street and Old Spanish Trail; Samantha Daigre, 17, Winn-Dixie, 851 Brownswitch Road; Alyshia C. Williams, 26, Chevron, 1705 Gause Blvd.; Yousef Jamhour, 56, Quick Check store, 1414 Fremaux Ave.; Joy P. Harper, 22, Wal-Mart, 167 Northshore Blvd.; Ashley M. Chaplain, 20, Kangaroo Express, 350 Voters Road; Jimmy Blackwell, 71, Race-Trac, 1720 Gause Blvd.; Susan McBride, 47, Chevron, 1705 Gause Blvd.; Sherri Johnson, 42, Circle K, 1150 Front St.; U. Cho, 69, BP, 430 Pontchartrain Drive; David Johnson, 60, Texaco, 727 Fremaux Ave.; Elizabeth A. Brunner, 25, Continental Bar, 2144 First St.; Adolfo C. Castro, 24, Club Phoenix, 227 Cousin St.; Kimberly G. Cooley, 40, and Joseph Dillon, 43, both employees of JR’s Bar, 3608 Pontchartrain Drive.

Foltz said a second employee at Club Phoenix was cited, but the person’s name was not available.

If convicted, each person faces a $100 fine, or not more than 60 days in jail, or both, Foltz said.