The Alcohol Beverage Board of St. Mary's County on July 9, 2025 imposed fines, training requirements and a one‑day suspension on several licensees after sheriff's office alcohol compliance checks found servers sold alcoholic beverages to a 19‑year‑old confidential informant.

The board cited violations of §6‑304 of the Alcoholic Beverages Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland and section 5.04(j) of the Alcohol Beverage Board of St. Mary's County rules and regulations in all four matters. The board read facts from sheriff's office reports that a confidential informant, accompanied by special‑operations officers, ordered alcoholic beverages and was served despite lacking ID.

Why it matters: the board used the compliance checks to apply penalties ranging from modest fines to a $2,500 penalty plus a suspension, underscoring the county's enforcement of underage‑sale laws and the board's updated penalty authority.

Front Porch (22770 Washington Street, Leonardtown)
Licensees Jordan Walker and Jeffrey P. Lewis were cited after a server, identified in the record as Taylor Kathleen Staley, served a glass of Pinot Grigio to the confidential informant on April 29. The board's record shows Staley “failed to ask the confidential informant for any identification” before or after service and later admitted the lapse when contacted by enforcement personnel.
Owner testimony described existing policies and steps taken after the incident: staff TAM certification, a WeCard secret‑shopping service, daily reminders, and termination of the employee involved. Owner testimony included, “100%…they're supposed to ID everybody no matter how old they are,” and said the business planned additional incentives and spot checks.
The board imposed a $2,500 fine with $500 held in abeyance and a one‑day suspension, to be selected by the licensee and posted consistent with board rules. The board recorded the penalty as unanimous; licensees were given 10 days to pay and 30 days to appeal to the Circuit Court of St. Mary's County.

Il Piccolo Morso (22845 Washington Street, Leonardtown) — bartender Luis Ignacio Esteban
Sheriff's reports say on April 2 a confidential informant ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio and told the bartender he had no ID. The record states Esteban asked for the informant's age and date of birth, was told the patron was under 21, and nonetheless served the drink; Esteban later admitted failing to corroborate age with identification. Esteban described asking questions and relying on the companion's statements, and said he “started to make some questions…to prove the identity,” but that he failed to obtain ID.
The board assessed a $150 fine; the fine must be paid within 10 days, and the decision may be appealed within 30 days.

Il Piccolo Morso — licensee Sylvia C. Chance
A separate hearing named licensee Sylvia C. Chance. She said she was not on site the day of the compliance check and described the establishment as a family business; she told the board she would require staff to refresh training and TAM/rasp certification. The board imposed a $1,000 fine with $500 held in abeyance and required RAS training within 90 days; payment and appeal deadlines mirror the other rulings.

Mac's Tap & Table (25470 Point Lookout Road, Leonardtown) — Hannah Marie Davis (server)
A server at Mac's Tap and Table served a bottle of Bud Light to the confidential informant on April 29 without asking for identification, according to the sheriff's report and the server's admission. The licensees, John J. McDonald III and Benjamin J. McDonald, told the board they enforce a 100% ID policy, use on‑the‑job training and a reference book of state IDs, and added a system prompt requiring servers to confirm they checked ID when ringing in alcoholic beverages.
The board assessed a $1,000 fine with $500 held in abeyance and ordered RAS training within 90 days; the vote was unanimous.

Votes at a glance
- Front Porch (Jordan Walker, Jeffrey P. Lewis): $2,500 fine ($500 held in abeyance), one‑day suspension (licensee to select date). Outcome: approved, unanimous. (Charge: sale to person under 21; statutory citation: 6‑304; rule: 5.04(j)).
- Il Piccolo Morso (Luis I. Esteban): $150 fine. Outcome: approved, unanimous. (Charge: sale to person under 21; statutory citation: 6‑304; rule: 5.04(j)).
- Il Piccolo Morso (licensee Sylvia C. Chance): $1,000 fine ($500 held in abeyance), RAS training within 90 days. Outcome: approved, unanimous.
- Mac's Tap & Table (John J. McDonald III, Benjamin J. McDonald): $1,000 fine ($500 held in abeyance), RAS training within 90 days. Outcome: approved, unanimous.

What the board relied on: Mr. Chris Beaver, board counsel, read sheriff's office compliance‑check reports into the record and the board relied on admissions by servers or licensees during the hearings as the factual basis for penalties. Deputies who conducted the checks provided evidence and receipts to the sheriff's office file, which the board acknowledged.

Next steps and appeals: Each licensee was told they have 10 days to pay the assessed fine and 30 days to appeal the board's decision to the Circuit Court of St. Mary's County.

Sources: sworn testimony at the July 9, 2025 Alcohol Beverage Board public hearing and sheriff's office compliance check reports read into the record.