News and Investigations

The Polk County Sheriff's Office visited forty convenience stores on Monday, June 29, 2026, checking to make sure the stores and their staff were abiding by the state's law pertaining to alcohol sales. Specifically, ensuring that they were not selling alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 21.

This was the latest round of the PCSO's Operation Pop-Top campaign, in which deputies are assisted by a high school student who attempts to purchase alcohol at the stores. The students who participated are members of the PCSO's Cadet 1000 program. 

In this case, the students were between 16 and 18-years-old.

All of the stores visited on Monday were in the Lakeland, Lake Wales, Davenport, and Mulberry areas, and 39 of the 40 stores passed the test.

63-year old Linda Mosley, a sales clerk at the Shell store at 29993 Duff Road in Lakeland, was arrested after she sold an alcoholic beverage to the student. 

"The law is clear, there is to be no the sales of alcohol to anyone under the age of 21-years of age. Stores and their employees know this, but they don't always abide, which is completely unacceptable. This is why we do these checks." - Grady Judd, Sheriff

Ms. Mosley was charged with Selling Alcohol to a Person Under 21 Years of Age, a misdemeanor. She was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine and she was also charged for that, which is a felony. 

In addition to the 40 alcohol stops, the deputies and student also visited six smoke shops to check for illegal vape and kratom sales. 

The stores checked were in Lake Wales, Davenport, and Lakeland, and all were compliant by refusing to sell to the students.