LAKELAND, Florida — A convenience store clerk in Lakeland was arrested after selling alcohol to an underage customer during a recent operation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The operation, known as Operation Pop Top, is an ongoing campaign by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) to ensure compliance with laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol to individuals under 21. On February 5, 2026, deputies, assisted by an 18-year-old member of the PCSO Cadet Unit 1000, visited ten stores in the Lakeland area to check for compliance.
Maria Juan, a 22-year-old employee of the Circle K store at 2385 Griffin Road, was arrested after selling an alcoholic beverage to the cadet. She was charged with selling alcoholic beverages to a person under 21, a misdemeanor, according to the press release from the PCSO…