4 ticketed in St. Charles, Batavia tobacco-sales stings

Clerks at three St. Charles businesses and one Batavia store have been charged with selling tobacco to minors.

The three in St. Charles were cited during a compliance check Nov. 23. Batavia did its check Nov. 24.

St. Charles police sent a 16-year-old undercover agent into 33 stores, and Batavia checked 20. The checks were funded by grants from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission.

Reports on the St. Charles violations have been sent to the St. Charles Liquor Commission, which consists of Liquor Commissioner Don DeWitte, who is also the mayor. The clerks and the stores from the St. Charles cases can each be fined from $25 to $500.

In Batavia, the clerk can be fined up to $750. The store can also be fined up to $750 and have its license suspended or revoked by Mayor Jeff Schielke.

Clerks ticketed were:

&bul; Jonathan M. Skleney, 23, of the 300 block of Taubert Avenue in Batavia. He was ticketed at 2:47 p.m. at Sav-Way Liquors, 2580 E. Main St., St. Charles.

&bul; Ryan R. Larkin, 23, of the 43W700 block of Empire Road, St. Charles, ticketed at 1:17 p.m. at LaVita Cigars, 2015 Dean St., St. Charles.

&bul; Roberto Javier Fernandez, 28, of the 0-99 block of Park Row in Elgin. He was ticketed at 1:48 p.m. at the BP gasoline station at 1505 Lincoln Hwy, St. Charles.

&bul; Shounek U. Patel, 28, of the 4100 block of Chesapeake Drive, Aurora. He was ticketed at 5:48 p.m. Nov. 24 at S&C Cigarettes, Cigars and More, 2004 W. Wilson St., Batavia.