(a) (1) Any person who is 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 $500 or shall be confined in jail, or, in the case of a juvenile, a detention center, 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.
(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.