Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com
Published - Thursday, May 08, 2008
Local police stings catch two men providing alcohol to undercover minors
Police caught two men buying beer for other minors — one of whom was younger than the undercover minors he bought beer for.
Nicholas Gy Pelzel, 19, of Cleveland, Wis., and Jacob Scott Steine, 20, were not arrested but have been referred to the Winona County attorney’s office for gross misdemeanor charges of furnishing alcohol to a minor.
According to police, officers used the help of two 20-year-olds who went undercover last week and asked others to buy alcohol for them.
Pelzel took $20 from the 20-year-olds and bought a 12-pack of beer from Third Street Liquor at about 7:20 p.m., police said. The 19-year-old used his brother’s old driver’s license to acquire the alcohol. Police stepped in and confiscated the ID and other alcohol Pelzel had bought.
Because the ID Pelzel used was valid and he looks like his brother, Third Street Liquor will not be charged with a crime.
Another sting took place at 8:30 p.m. near Warehouse Liquor. Steine agreed to buy beer for the undercover minors, but a person of legal age he was with actually bought it, police said.
However, since Steine was the one who took the money and actually gave them the beer, he will be charged with the crime.
Contact Kevin Behr at (507) 453-3524 or kbehr@winonadailynews.com.
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