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SLO police catch gas station clerk with meth during tobacco sting

June 24, 2025

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

San Luis Obispo police arrested a gas station clerk who allegedly sold tobacco to a minor and was in possession of methamphetamine last week.

On Friday, detectives conducted an operation in which a supervised person under the age of 21 tried purchase tobacco products. At about 11:30 a.m., the minor went with detectives to the Chevron gas station in the 12000 block of Los Osos Valley Road.

The minor purchased tobacco and then left the gas station, according to the San Luis Obispo Police Department.

The minor told detectives that the clerk did not request ID during the purchase. Detectives contacted the clerk, 37-year-old Jacob Burke, and discovered that he was on pre-trial diversion for several ongoing criminal cases.

Detectives searched Burke and found a baggie with a substance suspected to be methamphetamine, as well as a glass pipe.

Police arrested Burke and booked him in San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of committing a felony while on bail or release, possession of a controlled substance with prior convictions, sale of a tobacco product to a minor and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Burke remains in custody with his bail set at $50,000.

 


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Always did wonder how Jake could work those doubles.


0

Adding charges to a guy who actually has a job for a tiny little bag of drugs is sad. Dude is probably getting $17 an hour, half his shifts are probably graveyard, and he has to constantly deal with the worst kind of people. I’m not saying it’s “ok” or it’s not going to slow him from improving his life but geesh folks… now he becomes a taxpayer problem


-7

A single whiff and he’s off the races! Staying up all night while you sleep, stealing anything he can find. Are you kidding me?


0

He should consider himself extremely fortunate he will be given (once again) an opportunity to turn his life around, clean himself up, and stop supporting gangsters and Mexican Cartels. If he lived in Indonesia, Singapore or Malaysia he would be subject to caning, a long prison sentence under harsh conditions or even the death penalty if he was selling drugs. Hopefully he will have a positive outcome with his drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation.


3

Don’t let him out til he discloses who he got it from. The illicit drug use will only continue. I left Fresno when such incidents continued and an officer finally disclosed to me their hands are tied due to state policies. Therefore it can be said that city governments gain by not eradicating the problem in order to qualify for ongoing government grants. Drug sales are quite lucrative, in more ways than one.


4

“violate the Constitution by imprisoning him indefinitely” if he doesn’t reveal his source. Wow, you’re a fine example of American values.


-2

They are an perfect example of current american values under our president. The 1st and 4th amendment mean nothing now and never will again once this precedent has been set.


Just like Fresno, SLO County law enforcement know who the dealers are. They either can’t, or choose not to, prosecute them. Minor possession shouldn’t be illegal so that sucks for this guy


0

I do not recall this outrage of the Constitution, when J6 prisoners did 4 years without being charged.


2

The situation you describe smells like more government corruption involving collusion with 501.c3 organizations, politicians of a particular soft-on-crime political party, and Mexican Cartels & associated gangs.


1

The moral of the story: Don’t work a job if you’re on drugs. You’ll just get caught..


A better idea is to Just live off the system- disability if you can and hang out in a park all day smoking your drugs. True story- two weekends ago tried to visit a friend’s birthday party in Meadow Park and some meth or crackheads were sitting right there at the community center doorway and smoking something. Decided not to walk by there. Too bad the police don’t do more about that.. could care less about gas station meth guy, at least he’s working.


-4

You could have and should have reported them to SLOPD or chased them off. The latter option requires some creative thinking.


4

Third option: ask them nicely to move. It usually works


0

You’re naive of you think people on drugs shouldn’t work. Many people who do hard labor run on meth. Silicon valley was fueled by cocaine in the 80s. Less so now, but it’s still prevalent. I told my last contractor he could use my garage fridge for their “work sodas” and each morning he loaded in 2 cases of beer. 80% of my employees at the last large retail company I managed smoked weed on every break. Then there are prescription drugs…


-3

How is it that I can die for my Country at 18 years old but I can’t have a smoke or a beer?


9

Recall, that the US military used to supply smokes in ration kits, and allocated beer in the field. Any Vietnam Vet stationed on a Firebase, will happily recall the weekly pallet of warm Pabst Blue Ribbon being brought in by chopper :)


12

They also mandated “the jab”, didn’t they?


1

Not just one “jab”. Lots of jabs.


3

Are you arguing for a higher age of entry to the armed forces or lower age for access to substances? Encouraging kids to smoke and drink is gross so… hopefully the former?


1

They’re arguing if you can join the services then youre not a kid. Also, if kids want to smoke and drink it’s not hard. It think they should raise the age to join the military to 21. Maybe then they’ll have a chance to think more about destroying other countries(and people) while creating more terrorists who hate us. All based on lies by rich men, lies for profit.


0

A Vietnam vet I attended school with once told me that even marijuana was included in their supplies that were dropped from the helicopters to help ease their issues.


1