Lyric Theater busted for underage alcohol sales

Four bartenders were arrested Friday night during the Oxford Music Festival at the Lyric Theater for allegedly serving alcohol to minors.

The Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the Oxford Police Department, were performing undercover operations by checking certain establishments to ensure they were complying to state law concerning alcohol sales to patrons under 21 years old, according to assistant police chief Joey East. 

Cobra Security marked the underage informants at the door as being under 21 but the minors were still able to purchase alcohol from four of the five bartenders on duty, East said. 

The arrested bartenders have been charged and will go before a judge to plead guilty or not guilty. 

If they plead not guilty, they will be given a trial date, but if they do plead guilty, they will be given a fine. 

At this time, just the bartenders have been given fines. 

The Attorney General and the city of Oxford are able to fine the bar should they see fit, but the Lyric Oxford’s alcohol license has not been revoked at this time, according to East. 

As part of the operation, the Attorney General’s office also had minors attempt to purchase alcohol at the Lanes, the Levee and Taylor’s Pub and were denied. 

Undercover operatives for the Attorney General’s office also checked admission intosome of  Oxford’s 21-and-up bars, including Rooster’s, Funky’s and the Burgundy Room, and were denied access at the doors of each establishment.

East said the visits are sporadic, and that the Attorney General’s office will choose several weekends out of the year to make visits to and check compliance by alcohol-serving establishments in Oxford. 

“It’s easier for them to do this than us,” East said. “They’ll make a list of the ones they checked this time and next time they’ll come in and check the other bars to make sure they’re complying as well.”