Teen Found in Church Leads Police to Over 100 Underage Alcohol Sales at Louisiana Bar

HAMMOND, LA (KPEL) —A Louisiana bar owner and two of his employees are facing serious charges after surveillance footage showed over one hundred alcoholic beverages being made and sold to minors.

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Missing Person Call Leads to Multiple Arrests

Hammond Police were responding to a routine missing persons call after finding clothing and personal items on a sidewalk near East Charles Street and North Holly Street on August 8th.

Read More: Young Louisiana Boy Dies After Hit-and-Run

The items found belonged to 18-year-old Richard Clementi, who wasn't actually missing; he was sleeping inside the sanctuary of the First Christian Church on East Charles Street.

Clementi told detectives that he had been drinking the night before at The Brown Door Bar located at 124 North Cate Street. According to Clementi, he was able to purchase alcohol directly from the bartenders despite being under the legal drinking age.

Surveillance Footage Uncovers More Than 100 Illegal Sales

After detectives spoke with Clementi, Hammond police obtained a search warrant and reviewed surveillance footage from The Brown Door on the night Clementi spoke to detectives about.

Shockingly, over the course of just three hours, bar staff made 116 illegal sales of alcoholic beverages to individuals under the age of 21.

In the video footage, bar staff fail to notify security or management as minors openly consumed alcohol in front of them.

Arrests and Charges Filed

After the investigation concluded, Hammond Police made the following arrests:

• Sydney Elise Mitchell, 20, of Gulfport, MS  115 counts of unlawful sales to persons under 21 and 1 count of letting a disorderly place.

• Michael Samuel Cuccia, 22, of Mandeville  1 count of unlawful sale to a minor and 1 count of letting a disorderly place.

• Tristan Michael Stravinsky, 21, of Slidell  10 counts of purchasing alcohol for minors.

• Patrick Lynn Broussard, 57, of Port Allen  Owner of The Brown Door, issued a summons for letting a disorderly place.

• Richard Kale Clementi, 18, of Slidell  issued a summons for unlawful purchase and possession of alcohol.

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