The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Alcohol Enforcement Unit recently conducted alcohol compliance checks on 18 businesses in northern and central St. Mary’s County, Maryland. The checks, which were conducted on March 30, 2023, resulted in 17 of the establishments being found compliant with Maryland law, while only one business failed to comply.
The compliance checks were carried out by an underage individual, wearing plain clothes, who entered each business to order or retrieve an alcoholic beverage for purchase. Of the 18 businesses visited, 17 (94 percent) were found to be in compliance with Maryland law, requiring identification from the underage person. One business, Leonardtown Wine & Spirits in Leonardtown, failed to ask for identification or corroborate the person’s age, enabling the underage individual to purchase an alcoholic beverage.
Businesses found to be in compliance included Pal Liquors & Gas in Leonardtown, Centre Liquors in Leonardtown, Third Base Store in Loveville, St. Mary’s Gas Station in Clements, Village Liquors in Chaptico, Chaptico Market in Chaptico, Race-N In in Budds Creek, Vino 2 Wine & Liquor in Charlotte Hall, Lighthouse in Charlotte Hall, Fred’s Liquor in Charlotte Hall, New Market Service Center in Mechanicsville, Big Dogs’ Paradise in Mechanicsville, A & B Liquor in Mechanicsville, DJ’s One Stop Shop in Mechanicsville, Korner Karryout in Mechanicsville, Cook’s Liquor in Hollywood, and Bradfords Neighborhood Market in Hollywood.
Upon discovering the violation, the Alcohol Enforcement Unit forwarded an alcohol violation report to the St. Mary’s County Alcohol Beverage Board for review. Maryland law requires alcohol compliance checks to be conducted regularly to ensure that businesses are not selling alcohol to minors.
Leonardtown Wine & Spirits could not be reached for comment. The St. Mary’s County Alcohol Beverage Board has not yet announced any action to be taken against the business.
Underage drinking is a serious issue that can have lasting consequences for young people. In addition to the risks associated with alcohol consumption, underage drinking can also lead to legal consequences, including fines and potential jail time for businesses found to be in violation.
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Alcohol Enforcement Unit is committed to ensuring that businesses in the county comply with Maryland law and work to prevent underage drinking. As part of this effort, the unit will continue to conduct regular compliance checks on businesses selling alcohol to ensure the safety of young people in the community.
