July 13, 2011
Office of The Attorney General
– Paula T. Dow, Attorney General
Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control
– Jerry Fischer, Director
Media Inquiries-
Rachel Goemaat
609-292-4791
Citizen Inquiries-
609-292-4925
26 Arrested In Underage Drinking Raid, Including 3 Bar Employees
TRENTON – Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director Jerry Fischer announced that 26 people, including three bar employees and 23 underage patrons, were arrested early today at a bar in New Brunswick as a result of ABC’s College Initiative underage drinking enforcement program.
According to Director Fischer, investigators from the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control and detectives from the Division of Criminal Justice assigned to ABC, assisted by officers of the New Brunswick Police Department, made the arrests shortly after midnight at Scarlet Pub at 131 Easton Avenue in New Brunswick. They arrested two bartenders, Marc J. Ng, 19, of Marlboro, N.J., and Thomas H. Holman, 27, of Somerset, N.J., for allegedly selling alcohol to underage patrons. The investigators also arrested a bouncer, Carl William Buchholz, 19, of Malvern, Pa., on a charge of aiding and abetting persons under the legal age to consume alcohol.
Twenty-two patrons were charged with underage drinking, including four who were also charged with presenting a fake identification card. One additional patron was charged strictly with presenting a fake identification. One arrested patron was also charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana. All 23 patrons are from New Jersey. One is 17, and the rest are between 18 and 20 years old. Scarlet Pub is located near the Rutgers University campus. The arrests were made after ABC investigators received a tip that the bar was crowded with underage drinkers.
“Those under the age of 21 need to know that if they break the law by drinking alcohol, they could face serious consequences,” said Director Fischer. “We are partnering with local and county law enforcement agencies to prevent underage drinking, which endangers the young people involved as well as the public at large.”
Director Fischer noted that the arrests are part of the Division’s ongoing efforts to combat underage drinking in an around college communities throughout New Jersey. Scarlet Pub’s liquor license will be reviewed by ABC for possible administrative charges. Those charges could result in the suspension of the bar’s alcoholic beverage license. The charge of selling alcohol to underage patrons is a disorderly persons offense which carries penalties including a fine of at least $500. Underage drinking is also a disorderly persons offense, carrying a potential fine of at least $500 and a six-month driver’s license suspension.
ABC has established a toll-free hotline 1-866-713-8392 for citizens to report illegal activity to ABC’s Investigative Unit. All information received via the ABC hotline will remain confidential.
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