Florida Cracker Cafe manager among those charged

Last Friday at about 9:00 p.m., two teenagers entered the Florida Cracker Café located at 81 St George Street in St Augustine. They were greeted by 46-year-old manager, Denise Ferguson, who told them, “the kitchen is closed, but y’all can stay for a couple of rounds”.

The 17-year-old male and an 18-year-old female sat down at the bar and provided Ferguson with their drivers licenses which accurately stated their dates of birth.

The two teens each ordered a Bud Light in the bottle. Ferguson served them the alcoholic beverages and handed the ID’s back to them without saying anything.

Unfortunately for Ferguson, who lives in St Augustine South, the teenagers were informants in an underage alcohol enforcement detail, and St Johns County Sheriff’s Sergeant, Mike Strausbaugh, observed the entire encounter.

Ferguson was cited by Deputy Thomas J Williams for the violation of 562.11.1 F.S., unlawful to sell, give, or serve a person alcoholic beverages under the age of 21-years-old. The criminal charge is a second-degree misdemeanor.

The property is owned by the City of St Augustine; however, it is leased by Mayor Joseph L. Boles, Jr., former Mayor Claude L. “Len” Weeks, Jr., and Chris Way. The City paid the St Johns County Tax Collector $8,392.97 in property taxes for 2012 for the building that occupies about 82ft on St George Street.

The original partners in Florida Cracker Food Service, Inc, doing business as Florida Cracker Café, formed on January 12, 1990; and were administratively dissolved by the Secretary of State on September 28, 2012. The current partners, Florida Cracker Cafe, LLC, organized on May 3, 2006, by Travis G Grafft, Jarrell D Grafft and Susan P Grafft — all are registered as managing members of the limited liability company.

Also charged in the continuing undercover operations around town,
Kangaroo Express, 800 S. Ponce Blvd., a 51-year old male clerk sold to male.
Kangaroo Express, 70 Masters Dr., a 30-year old male clerk sold to male.
Al’s Pizza, 1 St. George St., a 26-year old male clerk sold to both minors.
Stogies Smoke Shop, 6 St. George St., #105, 46-year old male clerk sold to both minors.
Rendezvous, 106 St. George St., a 43-year old male sold to both minors.