27-year old Ailemarg Reyes was arrested by deputies from the Polk County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, September 8, 2022, after he sold an alcoholic beverage to a minor who was aiding in the PCSO's Operation Pop Top campaign.

The sale occurred at the 7-Eleven store at 3031 US 98 North in Lakeland.

"If you sell alcohol to someone under the age of 21, and we catch you doing it, you're going to be arrested. We're going to hold people accountable when they fail to abide by the state's alcohol sales law." - Grady Judd, Sheriff

Operation Pop Top is an ongoing PCSO effort in which they visit stores across the county, with the help of a PCSO Explorer who attempts to purchase the alcoholic beverages. The Explorers program consists of high schoolers who are interested in a career in law enforcement.

On Thursday, a total of nine Lakeland stores were visited by deputies and the Explorer, with only one of them not being compliant with state law, by selling alcohol to someone under 21 years of age.