Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Alcohol Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Frederick County Liquor Board fines RJ Beer & Convenience $1,500 after sale to minor
Summary
The board fined RJ Beverages LLC $1,500 and placed the licensee on two years' probation after an inspector cited a sale to an 18-year-old on Jan. 22, 2026; the board also ordered mandatory training and an administrative fee.
The Frederick County Liquor Board on March 9, 2026, fined RJ Beverages LLC $1,500 after the licensee’s clerk sold alcohol to an 18-year-old without requesting identification.
The board heard that on Jan. 22, 2026, at approximately 4:58 p.m., a minor entered RJ Beer and Convenience and attempted to purchase a six-pack; the minor reported that the clerk did not request identification and completed the sale. Inspector Clifton “Ronnie” Harrison entered the establishment and cited the clerk, later identified as Rajneesh Bhandari. The licensee entered a plea of “admit.”
The board, on a motion by Commissioner Debbie Burrell seconded by Commissioner Christopher Glass, assessed a $1,500 fine with payment terms of $750 due within 24 hours and the remaining $750 to be paid over three months. The board also imposed a $250 administrative fee payable within the three-month period and required mandatory Violation Prevention Class (VPC) training for all employees who serve alcohol. The transcript records that Magha Uppal was excluded from the training requirement and that licensee Rajneesh Bhandari completed training after the violation.
Training details recorded by the board: a $200 class fee; classes scheduled May 5, 2026, and June 2, 2026; and a completion deadline of June 2, 2026. The board required registration for one of those classes within seven days of the hearing and warned that failure to complete the training would result in the matter returning to the board for a hearing.
The board placed the license on two years’ probation with the condition that any new violations during that period would trigger a one-week suspension (no buy-back option) held in abeyance during probation. The motion passed unanimously (Ayes 3, Nays 0).
The board’s order formalizes the fine, training and probation terms; the licensee must follow the payment and training deadlines to remain in compliance.
