Chelsea licensing board finds multiple violations at Pon de Huancho, rolls back hours and orders weekend suspension

The Chelsea Licensing Commission on Sept. 12 voted that Preciado Brothers LLC d/b/a Pon de Huancho committed multiple violations of the City of Chelsea Licensing Commission rules after reviewing police reports and bar surveillance footage.

Chair Marty McAlpine opened the disciplinary public hearing after the police presented incident report 24-2170-OF and two sets of video: department body-worn camera footage and private bar camera angles. Sergeant Chung and Officer Capistran described the chain of custody for the thumb drive of footage and summarized their observations. The police said the fire department was called for a gas odor; firefighters found a kitchen stove knob left on, and Chelsea Fire ordered an evacuation. The police reported that a patron who complained appeared intoxicated and that the establishment’s liquor license and occupancy permit were posted on the bakery side rather than the bar side.

Officer Capistran told the board that the private video showed staff pouring shots for on-duty employees, employees consuming alcohol while working, a lap dance at a central table, and patrons touching employees’ buttocks. The officer also flagged a security uniform rule violation (security shirt not in the required red with clear “security” text) and an occupancy over the posted limit. The board watched several excerpts and discussed the footage’s timestamps.

"I personally believe that they are in violation of every single one of the violations that the police department noted," Chair Marty McAlpine said during deliberations, summarizing the board’s view that the video and reports supported findings under multiple sections of the City’s licensing rules.

Licensee representatives and counsel acknowledged the seriousness of the footage, apologized, and described corrective steps: a certified alcohol-service training held Aug. 13, moving signage to the bar side, removal of a projector, and regular compliance contacts with counsel and licensing staff. Counsel asked the board to note that some required signs were visible on parts of the premises and cautioned that body-worn video alone cannot definitively establish whether a patron was intoxicated from alcohol or another substance.

After commissioners reviewed the applicable regulations (including provisions on posting licenses and permits, hours of operation and after‑hours admissions, prohibition on staff drinking while on duty, security personnel standards, and standards of conduct prohibiting solicitation and sexual contact), the board voted to find Pon de Huancho in violation of multiple enumerated subsections of the Chelsea Licensing Commission rules, including but not limited to sections addressing posting and signage (2.03 a–c), admissions (2.04 g, j, k), hours of operation (2.05 a–b), alcoholic beverage sales (2.08 p, q), environs/security (2.09 a–b, 2.09 alpha), and standards of conduct and prohibited entertainer interactions (2.12 c, f, g).

The commission then considered penalties. Commissioners debated options ranging from rolling back late-night hours to a short suspension or a longer suspension. Several members said the scale of violations warranted significant discipline; others noted the licensee’s prompt corrective steps. The board approved two measures: an immediate rollback of Pon de Huancho’s liquor license and its music/entertainment license to an 11 p.m. closing time, seven days a week, and a three‑day suspension of both licenses for a weekend in late September. Counsel for the licensee told the board the owner would stipulate to a September suspension rather than a later October date.

Commissioners closed the disciplinary hearing after recording the motions and votes. The commission required no further immediate rulings but noted the licensee may return in the future to seek modifications if compliance is sustained.

What happens next: The board’s disciplinary orders take effect as announced (rollback of hours effective immediately; the licensee agreed to a September weekend suspension). The licensee may pursue appeal options available under state or local process, and commissioners said they would review any follow-up compliance evidence before considering future hour changes or restorations.