Operation Pop-Top: Polk Deputies Arrest Two Clerks for Selling Alcohol to Minor During Compliance Checks
By Ciara Perez, Senior Multimedia Correspondent
iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published May 25, 2026
News Brief
- Polk County deputies checked 10 convenience stores during alcohol compliance operation
- A 15-year-old cadet assisted in the undercover checks
- Two Davenport-area 7-Eleven stores allegedly sold alcohol to the minor
- Two clerks were arrested and charged
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says two convenience store clerks were arrested after allegedly selling alcohol to an underage buyer during a recent compliance operation aimed at keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, deputies conducted Operation Pop-Top on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, visiting 10 convenience stores across the area to ensure businesses were following Florida’s alcohol sales laws.
Assisting deputies during the operation was a 15-year-old high school student who is part of the PCSO Cadet 1000 program. The student attempted to purchase alcoholic beverages at each location as part of the compliance checks.
Authorities say the minor was able to successfully purchase alcohol at two stores:
- 7-Eleven at Champions Gate in Davenport
- 7-Eleven on Ronald Reagan Parkway in Davenport
Deputies arrested Alexis Hillengas, 30, of Clermont, and George Lebron, 21, of Davenport, charging both with selling an alcoholic beverage to a person under 21 years of age, a misdemeanor offense.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the operation serves as a reminder that preventing underage drinking is a shared responsibility.
“Keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors is everyone’s responsibility. When clerks ignore the law, they endanger our kids and our community. We will continue these operations to make sure businesses are doing what’s right,” Sheriff Judd said.
The sheriff’s office says 8 out of the 10 stores checked properly followed the law, while the two failed compliance checks resulted in arrests.
Operation Pop-Top is one of several enforcement efforts used by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to deter underage alcohol sales and hold businesses accountable.
Stay with iSkyNews.com for more local news updates.
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