Liquor board fines two licensees after underage-sale hearings

The Carroll County Liquor Board on June 1 found two local licensees culpable of selling alcoholic beverages to underage volunteers in separate compliance checks and issued monetary penalties.

At a 10:30 a.m. hearing, Bill Ledley, the county liquor-board inspector, described a compliance check at Oakland Mills Liquors in which a 20‑year‑old volunteer purchased a four‑pack of Long Island iced tea on April 29, 2026. Ledley testified that the clerk did not ask for identification and sold the alcoholic beverage. Licensee Bhaves Patel acknowledged the sale, saying the clerk "never made mistake, but he thought he really thought, like, she's a regular girl who comes every day there." The board accepted evidence and testimony and, noting Patel's long history in business with no prior license suspensions, found the licensee culpable but imposed a reduced civil penalty of $100 and a warning.

Later in the morning the board considered case 6615, which involved New York Pizzeria. Ledley reported that an underage volunteer seated at the bar was served a beer by a bartender who later said she "thought the volunteer was older than 21" and would attend diversion training. Licensee Anna Pearl Flores and staff described prior training steps and acknowledged a January incident earlier in the year; Flores said she would convene staff meetings and reinforce ID checks. The board found Flores culpable of a repeat violation and voted to assess a $1,000 fine, notifying Flores that further violations could lead to doubled penalties and possible license suspension or revocation.

Chair comments at both hearings emphasized the board's focus on public safety and the statute that authorizes fines up to $2,000, suspension or revocation for significant or repeated violations. Both licensees were told they have 30 days from official notification to pay the fines.