If the underage person lied to me, told me he over 21, and provided me with a false identification card, how can I be charged with Furnishing Alcohol to Minors?

Lying About Age

In Centre County, when the police decide to file charges in a furnishing alcohol to minors incident, they generally file two charges, one under the Crimes Code and one under the Liquor Code. While the Crimes Code Furnishing Alcohol to Minors charge requires proof that the furnisher knew that the recipient was underage, the Liquor Code does not require such proof. If the suspected furnisher was provided with a false identification card by the underage person, then the furnisher may have a defense against the Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor under the Crimes Code as the furnisher can claim that he did not know that the recipient of the alcohol was underage. However, the charge of furnishing alcohol to a minor under the Liquor Code only requires proof that the recipient was underage. For the Liquor Code charge of Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor, the fact that the underage person lied about his age or provided false identification is not material and is not a defense to the charge. It is what is known as a strict liability offense. The fact that the person that provided the alcohol did not know or was even misled as to the age of the recipient of the alcohol does not matter. All that matters is that the person that received the alcohol was underage. As long as the recipient of the alcohol is underage, the person that provided the alcohol can be convicted of the furnishing alcohol to minors charge under the Liquor Code.