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.