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Alcohol board fines two licensees after sheriff's underage tobacco compliance checks
Summary
The Alcoholic Beverage Board of Saint Mary's County fined Toasted Foot Lounge and Leonardtown Wine and Spirits after sheriff's investigators say clerks sold tobacco products to a 19-year-old confidential informant during January compliance checks; both clerks later pleaded guilty in district court.
The Alcoholic Beverage Board of Saint Mary's County on June 12 fined two businesses after sheriff's office undercover checks found tobacco sales to a 19-year-old confidential informant.
According to testimony read into the record, on Jan. 21, 2025, a sheriff's confidential informant accompanied by Sergeant Robert Merritt entered the Toasted Foot Lounge in Callaway at about 4:24 p.m. and purchased a cigar without showing identification. Board counsel read that the store clerk, identified in court as Hannah Louise Carlin, admitted she did not confirm the customer's age. Carlin later pleaded guilty in St. Mary's County District Court on March 13, 2025, to violating section 10-107 of the Maryland Annotated Code (criminal law) for the sale of tobacco to a person under 21.
Scott Reeves, identified in the hearing as a Toasted Foot Lounge representative, described the business's training approach and acknowledged the lapse. “Our training policy is very clear. It's emphasized, you know, when we hire an employee and then it's reemphasized, after their probationary period,” Reeves said. He told the board the clerk had been counseled and the owners had increased signage and reemphasized age checks with staff.
Based on the facts presented, the board voted unanimously to assess a $1,000 fine against the Toasted Foot Lounge, with $500 held in abeyance. The board notified the licensees they must pay the fine within 10 days and may appeal to the Circuit Court of Saint Mary's County within 30 days.
A separate compliance check that same day found Leonardtown Wine and Spirits in violation. At about 6:36 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2025, the confidential informant bought a pack of cigarettes at the Leonardtown store from clerk Navjot Singh, who did not ask for identification, according to the sheriff's account read into the record. Singh later pleaded guilty in district court to violating section 10-107.
During the board hearing, the licensee said additional training would be provided. “I will get, another training for them,” the representative said when asked how the store would prevent future violations.
The board voted unanimously to fine Leonardtown Wine and Spirits $1,000 and apply a previously held $500 penalty from an earlier violation, making the total amount due $1,500. The board again advised of the 10-day payment deadline and 30-day right to appeal.
The board's formal citations referenced section 5.04(b) of the Alcoholic Beverage Board of St. Mary's County rules and regulations for committing acts contrary to state law; the state criminal charge cited was section 10-107 of the Maryland Annotated Code (criminal law).
