2005 West Virginia Code - §60-3A-24. — Unlawful acts by persons.

§60-3A-24. Unlawful acts by persons.
(a) (1) Any person who is eighteen or over but under the age of twenty-one years who purchases, consumes, sells, serves or possesses alcoholic liquor is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars or shall be incarcerated in jail for a period not to exceed seventy-two hours, or both fined and imprisoned or, in lieu of such fine and incarceration, may, for the first offense, be placed on probation for a period not to exceed one year. Any person who is under eighteen years who purchases, consumes, sells, serves or possesses alcoholic liquor is guilty of a status offense, as that term is defined in section four, article one, chapter forty-nine of this code and, upon adjudication therefor, shall be referred to the Department of Health and Human Resources for services, as provided in section eleven, article five of said chapter.
(2) Nothing in this article, nor any rule or regulation of the Commissioner, shall prevent or be deemed to prohibit any person who is at least eighteen years of age from serving in the lawful employment of a licensee which includes the sale and serving of alcoholic liquor.
(3) Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a person who is at least eighteen years of age from purchasing or possessing alcoholic liquor when he or she is acting upon the request of or under the direction and control of any member of a state, federal or local law-enforcement agency or the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Administration while the agency is conducting an investigation or other activity relating to the enforcement of the alcohol beverage control statutes and the rules and regulations of the Commissioner.
(b) Any person under the age of twenty-one years who, for the purpose of purchasing liquor from a retail licensee, misrepresents his or her age or who for such purpose presents or offers any written evidence of age which is false, fraudulent or not actually his or her own or who illegally attempts to purchase liquor from a retail licensee is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined an amount not to exceed fifty dollars or imprisoned in jail for a period not to exceed seventy-two hours, or both fined and imprisoned or, in lieu of such fine and imprisonment, may, for the first offense, be placed on probation for a period not exceeding one year.
(c) Any person who knowingly buys for, gives to or furnishes to anyone under the age of twenty-one to whom he or she is not related by blood or marriage any liquor from whatever source is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars or imprisoned in jail for a period not to exceed ten days, or both fined and imprisoned.
(d) No person while on the premises of a retail outlet may consume liquor or break the seal on any package or bottle of liquor. Any person who violates the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars or imprisoned in jail for a period not to exceed ten days, or both fined and imprisoned.