Offenses for underage possession or consumption of alcohol are common charges in Raleigh and Wake County. Undercover officers are guaranteed to be roaming the parking lots of university sporting events and concerts looking for any and all possible offenders of these laws.
Under North Carolina law, it is a crime for anyone under 21 to consume or even possess an alcoholic beverage. Even with such a low threshold for proving a person guilty, there can be a number of issues worth exploring in these cases.
- How did the officer discover that you were in possession of alcohol?
- How did the officer determine your age?
- Did the officer use a portable breath test to verify consumption of alcohol?
- Were you coerced into making any admissions?
These are only a few of the issues that alcohol related charges can present. Each law enforcement agency in Wake County has made it a priority to weed out underage drinking in their respective jurisdiction. In addition to these agencies, alcohol-related laws are also enforced by specific alcohol enforcement groups– Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) and ABC Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC).
ALE and ABC mainly investigate and charge people with violations related to the sale or purchase, consumption, possession, manufacture, or transportation of alcohol. To that end, these agents are routinely undercover at large events and bars near universities.
Other common alcohol related offenses in Raleigh and Wake County are:
- Having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle
- Purchasing alcohol with a fraudulent ID
- Selling alcohol to a minor or to somehow noticeably impaired
- Selling alcohol without a state-issued permit
Choosing the Right Attorney for an Underage Alcohol Offense in Raleigh and Wake County
No one wants their criminal record blemished with an alcohol related offense. It is important to find an attorney that can prevent that from happening. Steven is a former Wake County District Attorney with experience in literally thousands of alcohol cases. Let our firm alleviate the anxiety that these types of charges can cause. Don’t waste the chance to discuss your case with us for free.