According to the Washington Post, two Bethel women are facing possible misdemeanor charges after an Alaska State Trooper received their misdirected text messages in a search for liquor. The women were seeking to purchase alcohol from an unlicensed source, which is prohibited. Names of the two women were not released, but an Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman shared details about the incident.
According to the report, off-duty trooper Mike Ingram began receiving text messages a little after midnight on Wednesday. Ingram didn't recognize the phone number, but the content of the text caught his eye. The person was blindly attempting to illegally purchase alcohol. Ingram responded and arranged to meet the texter, who showed up with two companions also looking to buy bogus booze. Ingram was there to greet them -- in uniform.
In 2010, Bethel residents voted to allow the sale of alcohol, but only from licensed distributors. Yet to date, the city has not issued a single license, resulting in a liquor stalemate. Under the 2010 vote, a solicited sale of alcohol, such as in this case, is illegal.
The two unnamed women who may be charged are 28 and 32 years old.