Underage drinking not a problem at Kent bars

By Lily Martis and Robert Carroll

It’s 10 p.m., and Raeanna Hertz is perched on a bar stool at Ray’s Place. Instead of a drink, she has a book in her hand as she patiently waits in the empty foyer for Kent’s nightlife to arrive at the door, eager for beer and Long Island Iced Teas.

She greets each person walking through with the same question: “May I see your ID, please?”

Hertz is a bouncer at Ray’s Place, meaning it is her job to make sure nobody under the age of 21 is let in after a designated time.

In a given week, Hertz said she catches about three fake IDs.

At Water Street Tavern, bouncer James Clerk said he catches about five fake IDs in a given week, and overall, the bar’s owner, Mike Beder, said his bouncers catch between five to 10 fake IDs in a given week.

When Clerk checks IDs, there are a number of things he looks at, including the birth date, expiration date, holograms and the face. On an Ohio ID, he said he has to scratch the back of the ID to make sure the strip of plastic is there.

If something seems suspicious, Beder said they will ask the person whose ID is in question for their zodiac sign, address on the ID or signature.

If the ID is then believed to be fictitious, Clerk said he has to confiscate it.

“If we’re wrong, like the ID seems fake and it’s not, we call the cops and ask them,” Clerk said. “We can’t give back a fake ID.”

One mistake by Clerk and Hertz could have serious consequences.

“If we aren’t strict at the door,” Hertz said, “we could get shut down.”

At Water Street Tavern, Beder said any employee caught selling alcohol to someone underage is terminated immediately. No second chances.

And the bouncers aren’t the only ones checking IDs at the bars.

“Occasionally the Kent PD will walk through the bar, and they may check an ID based on if a person looks young to them,” Beder said. “The Ohio Division Of Liquor Control has undercover enforcement agents that I am told have been at Water Street Tavern, but evidently there were no issues because they never made themselves known to us.”

So far this year, there has been one person arrested for selling alcohol to minors and 12 license premises cited for sales of alcohol to minors in the city of Kent.

Legal Consequences of Selling Alcohol to Minors

The Ohio Division of Liquor Control’s Investigative Unit has six districts in the state. Kent falls under the Canton district and is headed by agent George Pitre.

“The Investigative Unit has statewide jurisdiction,” Pitre said. “We’re primarily charged with the liquor control law. We investigate complaints as we get those. We may also check a liquor location without a complaint.”

If the Investigative Unit catches a liquor establishment selling to an underage patron, Pitre said three things happen: the server or seller would be cited, the underage individual would be cited and the liquor license holder would be cited with a hearing in Columbus that could result in a fine, suspension or loss of license.

In Ohio, the law provides the sale or furnishing of alcohol to a person who isn’t 21 a first degree misdemeanor offense, Pitre said. Underage individuals can also be charged with a misdemeanor of the first degree for knowingly possessing, consuming, sharing, attempting to purchase or ordering alcohol. The penalties for these first degree misdemeanor offenses can be the same.

“If a person is found guilty by statute, the fine is at least $500, no more than $1,000, and they can be jailed up to six months,” Pitre said. “That would apply to somebody working behind the bar; it would apply to someone providing beer to a friend. It’s the same penalty.”

In a case where the underage individual has an identification that misrepresents who they are, Pitre said there are additional penalties to the underage drinking.

“Misrepresentation is a misdemeanor first degree offense,” Pitre said. “If somebody uses a fake ID, that’s an additional charge, and the law provides for license suspension on some of those cases.”

Preventing Underage Drinking

The Ohio Investigative Unit takes measures to prevent the selling and consumption of alcohol to minors, and Pitre said education is primary.

One way the Ohio Investigative Unit educates is through its Alcohol Server Knowledge program, where an agent educates alcohol servers and answers questions about the do’s and don’t of serving alcohol. The program is free of charge to permit holders and their employees.

The Ohio Investigative Unit also has a free program targeted to school children called Sober Truth, where they talk about alcohol, drugs and other dangers they need to be aware of growing up.

The Ohio Investigative Unit also educates and creates alcohol awareness through social media.

To report an underage drinking complaint or any other alcohol-related complaints against an establishment, call 1-877-4-MINORS.