Three people charged after tobacco/vape compliance check by Riverhead Town Police

Three people are facing criminal charges after a sweep of retail establishments in a tobacco/vape compliance check by Riverhead Town Police yesterday, police said in a press release last night.

The police department’s Community Orientated Policing Enforcement (COPE) Division in cooperation with the Suffolk County Health Department and Riverhead Community Awareness Program checked nine locations in the town during the action, targeting the sale of tobacco and vape products to patrons under the age of 21, according to to police.

Three locations were found not to be in compliance, and one employee at each location was charged with Unlawfully Dealing with a Child in the Second Degree, a Class B Misdemeanor under the New York State Penal Law, police said.

The employees charged, Riverhead Police said, were:

Oktay Celik, 51, of Riverhead, an employee at Shell Gas, 626 W. Main St., Riverhead;

Ankitkumar Patel, 35, of East Northport an employee at One Stop Smoke Shop at 1698 Old Country Road, Riverhead; and

Prakashkumar Patel, 33 of Riverhead an employee at Bapa Cards and Gifts, 769 Old Country Road, Riverhead.

Each was processed and released on a desk appearance ticket with a future court date, according to a police press release.

Police said the following vendors were found to be in compliance:

Speedway, 6305 Route 25A, Wading River;

Wading River Smoke Shop, 6278 Route 25A, Wading River;

Mobil Gas, 3705 Middle Country Road, Calverton;

Gulf Gas, 1879 Old Country Road, Riverhead;

Gotham Smoke, 1085 Old Country Road, Riverhead;

Riverhead Stationery, 407 E. Main St., Riverhead.

Editor’s note: A criminal charge is an accusation. A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.