« Caution: Falling snow | Today | Photo: Don't dump on the Pats »

January 15, 2008

Providence store penalized for selling beer to minors

PROVIDENCE -- A Smith Hill liquor store was fined $1,000 and ordered to close for 5 days after its owner was nabbed selling a six-pack of beer to a minor.

The board's vice chairman, State Rep. Gordon D. Fox, D-Providence, said Shawn Merilan, owner of SNM Liquors, showed a “a total lack of any understanding” of how to screen minors at his store.

This was Merilan's third offense.

In late November, he sold a six-pack of beer to a 20-year-old student who was working with the Providence police. The sting operation was initiated by the Barrington police after the department learned that a teenage driver who was involved in a fatal crash had consumed alcohol that two teenagers bought at SNM.

On Nov. 5, 16-year-old Jonathan Converse of Barrington died when the car he was riding in, driven by 17-year-old Michael Silveira, went off the road and struck a tree.

In addition to the fine, SNM Liquors was ordered to close for 5 consecutive days, beginning Jan. 31. Fox today said he wanted to ensure that the closure included a weekend, typically a lucrative day for business.

Merilan was not at today's hearing. He can appeal the ruling or the penalty to the State Department of Business Regulation within 10 days.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 2:45 PM | Permalink

Comments

Post a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)