St. Mary's County Alcohol Beverage Board on Thursday assessed fines, suspended portions of fines and required training after finding several businesses sold alcohol to an underage informant during October compliance checks.

The board, chaired by Moses Haldane, found violations based on testimony from Corporal James Stone of the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office, who supervised the enforcement checks, and on admissions from some licensees. The board applied a mix of monetary penalties, suspended portions of fines for probationary periods and mandatory attendance at the county's RAS (Responsible Alcohol Server) training.

The board's alcohol-enforcement coordinator, Corporal James Stone, described the checks in testimony read into the record: "She checked the ID, gave the ID back, asked what she wanted ... took the money ... gave her change" and then the informant "took a photograph of the bartender and the drink," which officers recovered as evidence. Stone identified the informant's date of birth on a military ID as May 22, 1995, indicating she was 19 at the time of the buys.

Why it matters: Local enforcement of underage-sale laws affects license retention and business operations, and the board said its penalties are intended to deter further violations and to push licensees to improve staff training.

Votes at a glance

- Cook's Liquors (licensee Patel): Board accepted an admission for sale to an underage person (Oct. 9, 2014). Penalty: $1,000 fine with $500 suspended; three-year probation; mandatory RAS training for the licensee; payment due within 10 business days or license suspended. Motion carried.

- Green Door (licensee Brian Tarlton): After contested proceedings and testimony from deputies, the board found a violation (Oct. 10, 2014). Penalty: $1,000 fine with $500 suspended for three years; payment due within 10 days or license suspended. Motion carried.

- Tequila Grill and Cantina (licensee Cynthia Mesqua): Licensee admitted the violation (Oct. 9, 2014). Penalty: $1,000 fine with $500 suspended for three years; mandatory RAS training for the licensee; payment due within 10 days or license suspended. Motion carried.

- Volkmann's / Boatman's Mini Mart (licensee Helen C. Bush): Licensee admitted the violation (Oct. 9, 2014). This was a second violation for the same business (previous violation in Oct. 2012). Penalty: $1,500 total (includes $1,000 assessed now plus $500 previously suspended), mandatory RAS training for the licensee; payment due within 10 days or license suspended. Motion carried.

- Toots Bar (licensee Patrick Dugan): Licensee admitted the violation (Oct. 9, 2014); testimony also noted a second undercover attempt that was refused. Because this was a second violation, the board assessed a combined penalty that included the previously suspended $500. Penalty: $1,500 total (includes $1,000 assessed now plus $500 previously suspended); licensee required to attend next RAS class; payment due within 10 days. Motion carried.

Board procedure and evidence

Board attorney James Tanavige read facts for each case after admissions or after deputies testified. Corporal Stone and Deputy Debbie Steinbach testified about the compliance checks, describing that an underage informant entered the premises, was served an alcoholic beverage after presenting a military common-access card showing a 1995 birth year, and then delivered photographs and purchase change to officers outside the premises.

Licensees and representatives made mitigation remarks during the penalty phase. Shane Mattingly, counsel for the Patel licensee at Cook's Liquors, told the board Patel had operated the store for about six years without prior violations and asked for a fine in lieu of suspension. Several licensees said they would schedule or had scheduled RAS training for themselves and staff after the incidents.

Appeals and next steps

Board chair Moses Haldane told those assessed fines they had 10 days to pay the penalty and 30 days to appeal the board's finding and penalty to the Circuit Court for St. Mary's County.

Ending

The board called for payment deadlines and made clear RAS training and probation terms will be monitored; several licensees reported they already had arranged or completed training following the incidents. The board said it will continue compliance checks during the holidays and encouraged licensees to use the county's RAS resources.