North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement agents swooped into an establishment that reportedly promotes itself on Facebook as the greatest college bar in Wilmington to conduct a special underage drinking operation last Friday. An ALE special agent says that the agency was aiming to enforce North Carolina underage drinking laws and also to ensure that the ABC-licensed business was following the law as it relates to sales of alcohol.

Agents claim that they found a number of violations and will forward a report to the state ABC commission in relation to the establishment itself. During the operation, a number of college kids were charged with a variety of alcohol offenses, and ALE agents claim that one person was arrested on suspicion of a felony marijuana possession.

ALE officials say that at least 18 people were charged with some level of crime during the operation. The most serious charge appears to be the felony drug charge. Two people are facing a charge of disorderly conduct after the ALE raid and the majority of the alleged offenses more directly involved allegations of alcohol-related violations. Nine people were charged with underage consumption, while another five were charges with underage possession of alcohol. One person was charged during the operation with possessing a fake ID.

Greenville criminal defense lawyers know that mere possession of a fake ID is considered a crime under North Carolina law. Anyone who is at least 16 years old and is charged with a criminal offense will face that charge in adult court in North Carolina.

North Carolina is one of only two states in the country that does not have juvenile court handle most of the cases involving 16 and 17-year-old defendants. That means that if a person who is 16 or 17 years old is charged in North Carolina with an offense and is later convicted, the conviction will impact the person's permanent criminal record.

Source: Star News Online, "ALE reports Sand Bar of Wilmington for possible permit violations," Julian March, Feb. 7, 2012