Iowa retailer again faces a ‘first offense’ charge of underage alcohol sales

Although an Iowa retailer has been accused of illegally selling alcohol to underage customers on three occasions in the past seven months, the latest charge is being treated by the state as a first-offense violation.

Since 2012, SNK Gas & Food of Zwingle has been accused on at least six occasions of selling alcohol to underage customers, with four of those cases resulting in criminal charges. Due to a quirk of state law, the most recent case — the third to arise in the past seven months — is being treated by the state as a first-offense violation.

In January, the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division entered into a settlement agreement with SNK Gas & Food of Zwingle. As part of the agreement, the store’s owner, Randhir Singh, 50, did not contest allegations that on Aug. 15, 2021, and again on Sept. 22, 2021, the store sold alcoholic beverages to a person under the legal age of 21.

The settlement agreement stipulated that the store would pay a $500 first-offense fine for the August sale, plus a $1,500 second-offense fine for the September sale. The store also agreed to a 30-day suspension of its alcohol-sales permit. That suspension was served between Jan. 18 and Feb. 17 of this year.

One the same day Singh signed the settlement admitting to the August and September violations, an employee of his store pleaded guilty to a criminal charge of having sold alcohol to an underage person on Dec. 29, 2021.

As a result, on Feb. 22, the division initiated new licensing enforcement action against the store. The division has categorized the December offense as the store’s “first violation” of Iowa’s underage-sales law within the past two years, and it proposed a $500 fine. Singh has until March 24 to appeal that decision.

Division officials were unable to immediately explain the first-offense charge Friday, but it appears to stem from the fact that state didn’t close the case on the August and September violations until mid-January, two weeks after the December violation took place. And because the state looks back only two years when counting past violations, the earlier cases don’t count in determining whether a first-offense charge is appropriate.

Court records indicate that in 2012, Singh pleaded guilty to a charge of providing alcohol to an underage person at the Zwingle store and was placed on probation for one year.  In 2015, he pleaded guilty to the same offense and was fined $500.

In 2019, he was again cited for sales to underage customers at the Zwingle store. In that case, the Jackson County prosecutor dismissed the charge after Singh underwent Training and Interventions Procedures for Alcohol Servers.

Singh said Friday that the store employee who was charged in December with illegal sales didn’t understand the age-verification process for selling alcohol. He said his staff has been thoroughly trained now and there should be no future problems.

Other Iowa licensees recently accused of illegally selling alcohol to a person under the age of 21 include:

TCB Pool Hall, 114 E. College St., Iowa City – An employee pleaded guilty in court to supplying alcohol to an underage person on Dec. 11, 2021. The ABD has proposed a $500 fine against the establishment.

GM Mart, 2601 Highway 6 East, Iowa City — An employee pleaded guilty in court to supplying alcohol to an underage person on Dec. 11, 2021. The ABD has proposed a $500 fine against the establishment.

Moe’s Mart, 402 N. Main Ave., Sioux Center – An employee was found guilty of supplying alcohol to an underage person on May 28, 2021. The ABD has proposed a $500 fine against the establishment.

Cheema Gas & Liquors, 202 S. Main St., New Sharon – The establishment is alleged to have sold alcohol to an underage person on Feb. 7. The ABD administrator has yet to propose a fine in the case.

Shakespeare’s, 819 1st Ave., Iowa City — An employee pleaded guilty in court to supplying alcohol to an underage person on Dec. 11, 2021. The ABD has proposed a $500 fine against the establishment.

Kirkwood Liquor and Tobacco, 300 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City — An employee pleaded guilty in court to supplying alcohol to an underage person on Dec. 11, 2021. The ABD has proposed a $500 fine against the establishment.

Iowa City BP, 2875 Commerce Dr., Iowa City — An employee was found guilty of supplying alcohol to an underage person on Dec. 11, 2021. The ABD has proposed a $500 fine against the establishment.