North Bellmore clerk charged with selling minors beer

A 911 call reporting minors purchasing alcohol led to the arrest of a 39-year-old clerk at a North Bellmore store late Wednesday, charged with unlawful dealing with a child.

Nassau County police said Sanjaykumar Shah of 100 West Old Country Rd., Hicksville, sold a 12-pack of beer to two 16-year-old boys at the Smoke Shop at 2741 Jerusalem Ave.

Shah was released Thursday on an appearance ticket -- and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court, Hempstead, on March 3.

Police said that officers responding to the 911 call saw a black sport utility vehicle drive away from the Smoke Shop -- and instituted a traffic stop at about 10:15 p.m. Finding a 12-pack of beer on the floor inside the SUV, the officers questioned two 16-year-old males in the vehicle. The two said they had just purchased the beer from Shah. The legal minimum age requirement to purchase alcohol in New York is 21.

By BY JOHN VALENTI
Posted Saturday, February 23, 2008

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