The Charleston Police Department conducted a random tobacco compliance check Tuesday to several local tobacco distributors and found one store in violation.

Lt. Brad Oyer of the Charleston Police Department said Discount Tobacco Warehouse of 424 W. Lincoln Ave. was found in violation of the compliance checks.

“They will be cited under a city ordinance for selling tobacco to a minor,” he said. “The consequence will be a fine only.”

Oyer said the violation will not result in any jail time for the licensee, and the violation will not end up on Discount Tobacco Warehouse’s criminal history.

“It’s filed as a city ordinance instead of a criminal offense,” he said.

The checks conducted by the Charleston Police Department are done at random, Oyer said.

“They’re fairly random, and we try not to do them at the same time all the time because we don’t want the businesses to get used to the time (we conduct the check),” he said.

Oyer said the checks are helpful for both the city and the state when figuring out compliances and violations.

“These checks are a way the state uses to keep tobacco retailers honest, and the vast majority were in line with what the state and the city require,” he said.

All tobacco retailers in Charleston were a part of the check and included Huck’s, Indio Cigar Factory, Lefty’s Holler, Gateway Liquor, Eastside Package, Wal-Mart, Murphy’s USA, VFW, Casey’s General Store, Campus Liquor, Panther Liquor, Discount Smoke Shop, BP Amoco, CVS, Mach 1 Marathon, County Market and Walgreens.

“Charleston has very good retailers, and the people here should be very proud of the way they conduct their business,” Oyer said.

Over the years, Oyer said the checks have gotten progressively better in terms of compliance checks.

The last check the Charleston Police Department conducted was on May 30 when five retailers were found in violation.

These violators included Casey’s General Store, County Market, Eastside Package, VFW and Lefty’s Holler.

“Things have gotten progressively better over the years,” he said. “This is better than our last check.”

Oyer said he hopes to continue to see a decrease with tobacco retailers in the area.

“We only had one this past time, and I’m hoping through the city as well as the business training, that situation will be fixed, and it won’t happen again,” he said.

Robyn Dexter can be reached at 581-2812 or redexter@eiu.edu.