Winter Haven Clerk Arrested for Selling Tobacco to Minor During Operation Pop-Top
- iSkyNews.com
- Mar 31
- 2 min read
Winter Haven Clerk Arrested for Selling Tobacco to Minor During Operation Pop-Top
By iSkyNews | March 31, 2025
Winter Haven, FL — A store clerk in Winter Haven was arrested for selling tobacco to a minor during a recent round of Operation Pop-Top conducted by the Polk County Sheriff's Office (PCSO).
On Thursday, March 27, deputies carried out spot checks at five local stores to ensure compliance with Florida laws regarding the sale of alcohol, tobacco, and kratom to minors. Assisting in the operation was a 15-year-old high school student participating in the PCSO’s Cadet 1000 program, designed for teens interested in law enforcement careers.
While the student was refused alcohol purchases at three separate locations, they successfully purchased tobacco from Blazen Blvd., located at 801 Cypress Gardens Boulevard.
As a result, 24-year-old Beatrice Destin of Winter Haven was arrested and charged with Selling Tobacco to a Person Under 21 Years, a misdemeanor.
According to booking records:
Name: Beatrice Destin
Booking Number: 2025-008190
DOB: April 6, 2000
Race/Sex: B/F
Height/Weight: 5’6” / 140 lbs
Booking Date: 3/27/2025
Release Date: 3/28/2025
Inmate Status: Released
Bond Amount: $250 (Cash bond paid)
Charge Description: Contribute to Delinquency of Minor – Sell/Barter/Deliver Tobacco to Minor (1st Offense)
Statute: 569.101.1
Arrest Agency: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd emphasized the importance of ongoing enforcement:
“It is imperative that store clerks are checking IDs and refusing to sell alcohol, tobacco, or kratom to anyone who is not of age. We are absolutely serious about enforcing this in Polk County, and we perform these checks routinely as a means to ensure that all stores are compliant with state law.”
Operation Pop-Top is a recurring enforcement initiative in Polk County aimed at reducing illegal sales of age-restricted products.
For more local crime and public safety updates, visit iSkyNews.com.
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Keywords: Winter Haven tobacco sale, Operation Pop-Top Polk County, underage tobacco sting Florida, Polk County Sheriff's Office arrest, Beatrice Destin arrested, Florida tobacco law enforcement, underage compliance check, Cadet 1000 program PCSO, Winter Haven news, illegal tobacco sale to minor
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