(Hoarding and Price Gouging)…It has been going on since the Governor’s order to stay at home.
He also ordered non-essential businesses to close on March 19th. Since then residents have been hoarding supplies, including sanitizer and toilet paper. Some stores have begun charging higher prices for those items. While hoarding is not very considerate, it is not illegal. The District Attorney’s office says price gouging is. Price gouging is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. Violators may also be subject to civil enforcement actions and penalties up to $5,000 per violation, plus restitution. County residents can report price gouging by filling out the Price Gouging Form and emailing it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..