UPDATE 12/27/2024: Four individuals have been charged, and four local businesses have been cited for underage sales violations as part of a recent enforcement operation in St. Mary’s County.
These cases, which arose from sales made on November 26, 2024, were officially filed in the District Court for St. Mary’s County on December 26, 2024.
The violations occurred at four local businesses where police say employees sold tobacco products to underage customers without verifying identification. Each individual involved was issued a non-traffic citation by Officer Stephen Myers of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office.
Khaul Ishmael Franklin, 23, of Bryantown, is accused of making the illegal sale at Wawa, located on Three Notch Road, in Charlotte Hall.
Ashok Kumar Thakur, 54, of California, allegedly sold to an underage individual at the Exxon, on Three Notch Road, in Charlotte Hall.
Kelly Melissa Taylor, 48, of Hollywood, is charged with making the sale at Shivas Smoke Shop, located on Three Notch Road, in Mechanicsville.
Francis Bernard Istvan, 60, of Mechanicsville, is accused of the illegal sale at DJ’s One Stop Shop, located on Three Notch Road, in Mechanicsville.
All four individuals face misdemeanor charges under Maryland Criminal Law Code § 10-107(c)(1), which prohibits the sale of tobacco to individuals under the age of 21.
The cases, filed in court on December 26, 2024, are scheduled for preliminary inquiries on January 10, 2025, in St. Mary’s District Court,
12/2/2024: On November 26, 2024, The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Alcohol Enforcement Unit conducted a succession of Tobacco and Alcohol compliance checks within St. Mary’s County.
The covert compliance checks involved using an underage Sheriff’s Office Confidential Informant (CI). The CI is 19 years of age and was wearing jean pants and a long-sleeved shirt. The CI was informed to enter the store and retrieve a tobacco product coupled with an alcoholic beverage from the businesses that offers both items in an effort to purchase said products. The CI was accompanied by Sergeant Robert Merritt of the Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division. Sgt. Merritt was also wearing civilian attire and observed all transactions.
The Sheriff’s Office visited 18 businesses, and 14 businesses passed the compliance check and asked the CI for their driver’s licenses:
Lighthouse Liquors: 30411 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall
Subway Shell Gas Station: 30295 Three Notch Road Charlotte Hall
Walgreens Store #17672: 30283 Triangle Drive, Charlotte Hall
Vino 2 Wine & Liquor: 30320 Triangle Drive, Charlotte Hall
Fred’s Liquors: 30075 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall
7 Eleven, Store #21067 29969 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall
New Market Exxon: 29290 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall
New Market Spirits: 29233 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville
Vape Pro: 29220 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville
Vapor’s Lounge: 28943 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville
Big Dogs’ Paradise: 28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville
Birdies Store: 28270 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville
7 Eleven Store #20835: 28240 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville
Wawa Store #583: 27605 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville
These four businesses did not pass the compliance check and failed to ask for any identification, and tobacco and/or alcohol were sold to an underage person:
Wawa: 30320 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall
Exxon – 30100 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall
Shivas Smoke Shop LLC: 29015 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville
DJ’s One Stop Shop: 28035 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville
