News and Investigations

On Thursday, July 22, 2021, deputies from the Polk County Sheriff's Office checked fifteen convenience stores in the Lakeland and Mulberry areas, as part of the Operation: Pop-Top effort. They were making sure stores were abiding State law by not selling alcohol to anyone under 21-years of age. Of those fifteen stores, one was not in compliance and the store clerk who made the illegal sale was arrested.

24-year old Nakia Guinyard of Mulberry was charged with Selling Alcohol to a Person Under 21, a misdemeanor. 

Guinyard was the sales clerk at the Chevron store at 506 West Canal Street in Mulberry. 

The PCSO's Operation: Pop-Top is an ongoing campaign which utilizes a member of the PCSO Explorers Program. Explorers are high school students who have an interest in a career in law enforcement. 

The Explorer who successfully purchased a 16-ounce can of Bud Light from Ms. Guinyard is only 17-years old.

"Stores and their clerks need to practice responsible alcohol sales by refusing to sell to anyone under the age of 21, as the law requires. I am very pleased with the stores who refused to sell to the Explorer." Grady Judd, Sheriff

The fourteen stores which were visited and found to be compliant with state law are:
Marathon            933 West Pipkin Road, Lakeland
7-Eleven             4975 South Florida Ave, Lakeland
Citgo Food Mart  5385 South Florida Ave, Lakeland
WaWa                 5410 South Florida Ave, Lakeland
RaceTrac            6486 South Florida Ave, Lakeland
Marathon            6808 South Florida Ave, Lakeland
7-Eleven             7040 SR 37 North, Mulberry
Murphy Express 6801 North Church Ave, Mulberry
Sunoco               1285 Hwy 37 North, Mulberry
Shell                    104 North Church St, Mulberry
Giant Oil 114        905 West Canal St, Mulberry
Best Value            607 East Canal St, Mulberry
Speedway            3117 South Florida Ave, Mulberry
Mobil                    2908 South Florida Ave, Lakeland