Auburndale Chevron Clerk Arrested in Operation Pop-Top After Alcohol Sale to 17-Year-Old Cadet
Polk County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a sales clerk at a Chevron on East Bridgers Avenue in Auburndale Tuesday, Nov. 10. The clerk sold alcohol to a 17-year-old during a compliance check, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The charge is selling alcohol to a person under 21, a misdemeanor.
The arrest was part of Operation Pop-Top. The ongoing Sheriff’s Office campaign checks whether stores sell alcohol to customers under 21. Deputies visited six convenience stores in the Auburndale and Winter Haven areas Tuesday. Five of them complied with the law.
The teen is a member of the Sheriff’s Office Cadet Unit 1000. The program is for high school students interested in law enforcement. Sheriff Grady Judd said cadets are never in danger during the checks. In Judd’s view, the danger falls on juveniles who buy alcohol illegally. The visits enforce the law by making sure businesses comply, the sheriff said.
Deputies made a similar arrest last month. On Oct. 19, they checked 12 convenience stores in Lakeland and Mulberry. A clerk at a RaceTrac on South Florida Avenue in Lakeland sold to a cadet and was arrested.
Florida law bars anyone from selling, giving, or serving alcohol to a person under 21. A first violation is a second-degree misdemeanor. That carries up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.
An arrest or criminal charge is an accusation, not a finding of guilt. All individuals are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Operation Pop-Top in Polk County?
Operation Pop-Top is an ongoing Polk County Sheriff’s Office campaign. Deputies work with teen cadets to check whether convenience stores sell alcohol to customers under 21.
Which Auburndale store sold alcohol to a minor in Operation Pop-Top?
The Sheriff’s Office said the sale happened at the Chevron on East Bridgers Avenue in Auburndale on Nov. 10, 2026. A sales clerk there was arrested.
How many stores failed the Nov. 10 alcohol compliance check?
One store failed. Deputies checked six convenience stores in the Auburndale and Winter Haven areas. Five complied.
What is the penalty for selling alcohol to someone under 21 in Florida?
A first violation is a second-degree misdemeanor under state law. It carries up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. A second violation within one year of a prior conviction is a first-degree misdemeanor.
Are teen cadets safe during Polk County alcohol stings?
Sheriff Grady Judd said the students are never in danger while assisting deputies. The cadets are members of the Sheriff’s Office Cadet Unit 1000, a program for high school students interested in law enforcement.
Sources: “OPERATION POP-TOP: Clerk arrested in Auburndale,” Polk County Sheriff’s Office, polksheriff.org, Nov. 12, 2026; “OPERATION POP-TOP: Clerk arrested after selling an alcoholic beverage to a teen,” Polk County Sheriff’s Office, polksheriff.org, Oct. 20, 2026; “Section 562.11, Florida Statutes,” The Florida Senate, flsenate.gov, 2025; “Section 775.082, Florida Statutes,” The Florida Senate, flsenate.gov, 2025; “Section 775.083, Florida Statutes,” The Florida Senate, flsenate.gov, 2025
