Howard County hearing on Sandy Spirits underage sale deferred after licensee stipulates to facts

The Howard County Alcohol Beverage Hearing Board heard a petition July 22, 2024 to fine, suspend or revoke the class A beer, wine and liquor seven‑day off‑sale license for Sandy Spirits (7250 Montgomery Road, Elkridge), licensees Jayendra Patel and Amrish Patel. The county’s liquor inspector presented a factual account alleging that, on July 11, 2024 at about 16:31, a female cadet under 21 entered the store and purchased a six‑pack of White Claw from cashier Anjali Patel without being asked for ID, and the purchase was later returned and refunded when discovered.

The licensees’ attorney, Bruce Covey, told the board his clients would stipulate to the facts as read by the liquor inspector. The inspector said the sale was recorded on body‑worn camera and that the employee produced an alcohol‑awareness certificate showing completion on June 20, 2024; counsel for the licensee said the employee was not certified at the time of hire but had been scheduled and later certified. Detective Mark Baxter of the Howard County Police Department was present and described the enforcement steps taken.

Licensee testimony and mitigation: Jayendra Patel and counsel described steps taken after the incident, including terminating the employee involved, retraining staff, enrolling employees in certified alcohol‑awareness training, and installing a scanner that the licensee said will read IDs at the register. Patel said the scanner is a point‑of‑sale add‑on (vendor: Cypro Technology) that flags under‑age ages in red and notes an age and name for scans. During questioning Detective Baxter and ATCC agent testimony distinguished between scanners that only calculate age from barcode data and technology that authenticates IDs; Baxter said scanners often cannot detect sophisticated fake IDs.

Board action: The board closed evidence and heard short closing statements from both sides. The board did not issue a decision at the hearing; members said they would deliberate and render a decision in closed session. The record reflects the parties’ stipulation to the proffered facts and the licensee’s stated remedial steps.

Why it matters: The hearing illustrates how underage‑purchase stings, staff certification and point‑of‑sale technology interact in local enforcement. The board’s final determination will affect the license and any sanctions, and may include monitoring or proof requirements about scanners or staff certification.

Provenance: The hearing record and the parties’ stipulation and testimony above were entered live during the Howard County Alcohol Beverage Hearing Board meeting July 22, 2024; the board announced it would decide the matter later in closed session.