The Polk County Sheriff's Office conducted an "Operation Pop-Top" on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at six different convenience stores in the Bartow, Eagle Lake, and Wahneta areas. The ongoing operation is designed to ensure that stores within the county are compliant with state laws by not selling alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age.

Deputies are assisted in the operation by a PCSO Explorer who makes the attempt to purchase alcohol. The Explorer program is for high school students who are interested in a career in law enforcement. In this particular operation, the Explorer 18-years-old. 

Of the six stores visited Wednesday, only four of them were compliant. 

The clerks at the RamRam Two, LLC at 4660 US 17 N. in Bartow and the Pilot Travel Center at 7990 SR 60 E. in Bartow allowed the Explorer to purchase an alcoholic beverage and they were criminally charged.

Arrested were: 46-year old Christina Hernandez (RamRam Two) and 21-year old Anaerica Bautista-Sanchez (Pilot Travel).

The four stores which refused to sell the alcoholic beverage to the Explorer were:
• Chevron (558 N 5th St.) in Eagle Lake
• Citgo Wahneta Food (3074 Rifle Range Rd.) in Wahneta
• Superway (3544 Rifle Range Rd.) in Wahneta
• Circle K (7695 SR 60 E.) in Bartow