CITY VIEWING GRANT TO CURB TEEN DRINKING EXPECTED FUNDING COMES IN WAKE OF STING OPERATION.

Byline: Amy Raisin Darvish Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Nearly a week after a sting operation netted five arrests at local businesses caught selling spray paint and tobacco to minors, the City Council was expected Tuesday night to accept an $80,000 grant to fund similar alcohol-related stings.

The grant, from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, will help local sheriff's officials expand efforts to curb underage drinking in the Santa Clarita Valley, partly by funding overtime for deputies assigned to alcohol-related problems and prevention operations.

Last week's sting, proposed by Santa Clarita Councilman Frank Ferry and executed by the Santa Clarita sheriff's station, was originally launched to target local businesses that, despite an anti-graffiti law against selling spray paint to minors, allowed juveniles to purchase the cans.

Sheriff's officials decided to maximize the operation by targeting businesses that sell cigarettes to minors, too.

``It was originally just for spray paint but I've been getting a lot of complaints about teens smoking and buying cigarettes, so we added that to the operation,'' said Sgt. John Bomben of the sheriff's Community Interaction Team, which conducted the sting on Thursday.

Bomben, four deputies and four teenagers who volunteer with the sheriff's Explorer program targeted 32 local businesses during the six-hour operation, with the teens acting as decoys attempting to purchase spray paint and cigarettes.

Ferry had pitched the undercover plan during a brainstorming meeting attended by city employees and sheriff's personnel. The meeting was held to discuss methods to combat Santa Clarita's steady graffiti and tagging problem.

``These businesses aren't supposed to sell spray paint to minors,'' Ferry said. ``You spend five bucks and one can of paint can do a whole lot of damage. Maybe we can't completely do away with the problem, but we shouldn't be making it easy for (the vandals,) either.''

The sweep netted three arrests for tobacco sales and two more for selling spray paint to the underage decoys. The misdemeanor charge will be handled by the District Attorney's Office, which will also decide if the owners of the businesses will face charges or penalties.

The $80,000 state ABC grant, to be administered by the sheriff's Community Interaction Team, under Bomben's supervision - he helped author the grant - will allow Santa Clarita sheriff's personnel to work closely with ABC investigators.

The grant will help pay for ABC training for Santa Clarita sheriff's deputies, which will include learning the requirements for businesses licensed by the ABC, outreach to local businesses and alcohol enforcement strategies.

Amy Raisin Darvish, [phone]

amy.raisin(at)dailynews.com