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Agents with the North Carolina Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement teamed up with Greenville Police over Halloween. A sergeant with Greenville Police told The East Carolinian at ECU that Halloween night went better this year than it has in recent years. He says that with Halloween falling in the middle of the week, less people were downtown on the annual night for costumes and parties.

The police sergeant says that the numbers were down this year in Downtown Greenville, North Carolina. Nonetheless, agents and officers dished out more than 70 citations for alcohol-related offenses. Authorities released the Halloween totals this week. More than 100 people were charged with some sort of offense, with 73 cases involving allegations of alcohol offenses.

Leading the way were citations for underage possession of alcohol, which numbered 40. Twenty two people were charged for underage consumption and 11 people were charged with open container violations.

The Greenville Police sergeant says that many students found other things to do than drink alcohol this year. However, added security measures were put in place for the downtown area. Officers blocked off the area with barricades and officers were on patrol. A security checkpoint was also set up for the area.

State officials also released information about the statewide Booze It and Lose It” increased drunk driving campaign that ran from October 26 through Halloween. Statewide, law enforcement agencies arrested 729 drivers on suspicion of driving while impaired in North Carolina.

Pitt county agencies conducted 33 saturation patrols and set up 12 DWI checkpoints in conjunction with the campaign. Pitt County law enforcement agencies charged 14 drivers over the age of 21 with DWI and 17 people were charged with underage DUI in the campaign.

Source: The East Carolinian, “Citation numbers released for Halloween ’12,” Melanie Jock, Nov. 8, 2012.

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Greenville DWI defense and underage alcohol defense lawyers know that law enforcement agencies in North Carolina commonly set up focused enforcement operations surrounding public events to enforce DWI and underage drinking laws. This weekend’s 2012 Azalea festival in Wilmington was no exception.

North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement agents issued citations or arrested 261 people over the weekend during the annual Azalea Festival. ALE officials say that a large number of the citations involved underage drinking during the enforcement operation that began Thursday and ran through Saturday. A total of 308 charges were brought against 261 people.

Underage drinking tickets can be somewhat confusing for many people. Because North Carolina law brings all criminal charges against a person who is at least 16-years-old in adult court, many people are later caught off guard when they learn that paying such a ticket is the equivalent of a criminal conviction that is entered of the person’s permanent adult criminal record.

ALE officials say that 107 people were charged with underage possession offenses during the weekend festival. In addition to the underage alcohol charges against individuals, two businesses were accused of providing alcohol to a minor, and those allegations reportedly were sent on to the North Carolina ABC Commission for review.

During the weekend event, 15 people were charged with using a fake ID. In North Carolina, mere possession of a fake ID is a criminal offense.

Fifteen people were charged with possession of marijuana at the festival. ALE officials accuse five people of driving while impaired surrounding the event. The DWI cases reportedly were turned over to the State Highway Patrol.

Source: Star News, “More than 260 arrested, cited during Azalea Festival,” April 16, 2012

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North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement agents swooped into an establishment that reportedly promotes itself on Facebook as the greatest college bar in Wilmington to conduct a special underage drinking operation last Friday. An ALE special agent says that the agency was aiming to enforce North Carolina underage drinking laws and also to ensure that the ABC-licensed business was following the law as it relates to sales of alcohol.

Agents claim that they found a number of violations and will forward a report to the state ABC commission in relation to the establishment itself. During the operation, a number of college kids were charged with a variety of alcohol offenses, and ALE agents claim that one person was arrested on suspicion of a felony marijuana possession.

ALE officials say that at least 18 people were charged with some level of crime during the operation. The most serious charge appears to be the felony drug charge. Two people are facing a charge of disorderly conduct after the ALE raid and the majority of the alleged offenses more directly involved allegations of alcohol-related violations. Nine people were charged with underage consumption, while another five were charges with underage possession of alcohol. One person was charged during the operation with possessing a fake ID.

Greenville criminal defense lawyers know that mere possession of a fake ID is considered a crime under North Carolina law. Anyone who is at least 16 years old and is charged with a criminal offense will face that charge in adult court in North Carolina.

North Carolina is one of only two states in the country that does not have juvenile court handle most of the cases involving 16 and 17-year-old defendants. That means that if a person who is 16 or 17 years old is charged in North Carolina with an offense and is later convicted, the conviction will impact the person’s permanent criminal record.

Source: Star News Online, “ALE reports Sand Bar of Wilmington for possible permit violations,” Julian March, Feb. 7, 2012

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State officials say that recent car accidents in the area led to a sweep of Greenville Businesses by North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) agents last week. Pitt County Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) officers also took part in the sweep. The sweep extended beyond businesses as one private residence was also searched during the three day operation.

Diane Chapin, ALE special agent in charge says law enforcement made 202 arrests for suspicion of underage drinking and other charges during the sweep. An April 14 search of a private residence resulted in a number of charges for four people aged 19 to 20 years old. The charges at the residence include aiding and abetting underage people in obtaining beer and liquor, selling alcohol without a proper permit or license and underage possession of alcohol.

Chapin says college students often throw parties and obtain a cover charge for admission to the party. She says “if you charge anything for alcohol before drinking, you’re selling.” That is the alleged basis for the charges related to selling alcohol without permits or licenses.

ABC violations were also levied during the sweep against three Greenville nightclubs for selling alcohol to individuals under 21 years of age. In addition to the nightclubs, a charge for selling and possession for sale of alcoholic beverages was issued to an individual after a separate business was searched on April 16.

In all, 65 citations were issued for underage consumption. The sweep brought 38 citations for possession of alcohol by 19 or 20 year olds. An additional 37 citations were issued for possession of alcohol by an underage person. Twenty five people were cited for using a fake ID to purchase alcohol or enter a place where alcohol is served.

Under North Carolina law, all of the citations are criminal charges. A conviction for any of the charges becomes part of an individual’s permanent criminal record.

Source: Greenville Daily Reflector, “Wrecks prompt sweep by ALE agents,” Michael Abramowitz 26 Apr 2011

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