Employees at four Freeborn County businesses sold alcohol to underage decoys during alcohol compliance checks conducted by the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office last week.

According to a news release, employees at The Pour House in Clarks Grove, Bend in the Road in Manchester, George’s of Geneva and Julio’s Bar in Hayward conducted the illegal sales.

The Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office reportedly supervised decoys between 18 and 20 years old attempting to purchase alcohol at 17 establishments. In the checks that the businesses failed, the clerk did not check the identification of the buyer or checked the purchaser’s identification but continued with the transaction, the news release stated.

Retail clerks who sell alcohol to people under the age of 21 are charged with a gross misdemeanor.