Real trouble for fake IDs: Area businesses look out for underage drinking
For those who are still underage, trying to join in the fun can land you in trouble.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – College towns are back in full swing with students back on campus and football season just days away, and for many, living the college life also means enjoying the nightlife.
For those who are still underage, trying to join in the fun can land you in trouble.
Starkville life is revving back up with students back on campus and a new school year, means enjoying the local hot spots.
While businesses are looking to make money, they are also on high alert for underage drinkers with fake IDs.
Ryan Handran is the General Manager at Rick’s Cafe. He said while they look to offer a fun time, they work hard to minimize underage drinking.
“It’s so easy, honestly as soon as you hand it to us the plastic is different, the picture is a different quality. They really just stand out almost like you have put highlighter on it,” Handran said.
If there is any suspicion about someone’s ID, they make it a double.
“If we are even kind of unsure we use a computer scanner that runs it through the national database. A lot of times kids with fakes will tell us it will scan and that is true. It will scan but it’s going to show up as a fake one as ours because it’s scanning some of the correct information but it’s not going to like the federal databases,” Handran said.
Officer Gabriel Texidor with the Starkville Police Department said a fake ID can lead to real penalties and jail time.
“Typically we assert a citation and confiscate the ID. There is also a first offense a maximum of a $500 fine that comes with it and if you want to go even further than that and just choose not to listen and get a second offense it goes up to $5,000 and time in jail,” Texidor said.
While businesses aren’t trying to kill the buzz, having fun isn’t above the law.
“We’re not the party police. We’ve been here since 1994. Part of that now means we’re like a part of this community. which means we understand that this is a college town and that underage drinking takes place but we can’t be part of it,” Handran said.
To minimize underage drinking, many businesses will have different colored wristbands each night and mark underage people’s hands.
All fake IDs confiscated are turned over to police.
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