At the October 9, 2025 meeting, the St. Mary’s County Alcohol Beverage Board reviewed and adjudicated five separate violations of underage alcohol sales involving four local establishments.
In one case, both the employee and the licensee at the same business were cited and heard separately. All violations stemmed from compliance checks conducted by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Alcohol Enforcement Unit.
Tia’s Cantina – California, MD
The first violation heard involved Tia’s Cantina, located on Notch Road in California, where an employee served alcohol to a 20-year-old confidential informant during a compliance check on August 27, 2025.
The server, Savannah Paige Nelson, reportedly failed to request identification before serving a Corona Premier beer. The confidential informant was accompanied by undercover sheriff’s deputies, who confirmed the transaction and immediately reported the violation to Deputy Steve Myers of the Alcohol Enforcement Unit.
The licensees, Meredith Wagner, Jessica Hernandez, and Duane Swan—acknowledged the incident and detailed the remedial actions taken since. These included organizing a mandatory TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures) class for all alcohol-serving staff, regardless of prior certification, and implementing a daily ID policy agreement that all servers must sign before each shift. Furthermore, management now conducts direct observations to verify compliance with ID-checking protocols.
The board commended the licensees for their swift and thorough response but emphasized the seriousness of the offense. A $2,500 fine was imposed, with $1,250 held in abeyance, provided there are no further violations.
The next case involved the Applebee’s located on Miramar Way, where on July 29, 2025, Vivian Anthis, a bartender, served a draft Bud Light to an 18-year-old confidential informant without asking for identification. The restaurant’s licensees, Dennis Benson and Kelly Tippett, appeared before the board, although Tippett was excused due to medical reasons.
Benson, representing the franchise owner of 44 Applebee’s locations including 12 in Maryland, acknowledged the incident and provided a detailed breakdown of Applebee’s corporate alcohol training policies. All front-of-house employees are required to complete the “SABER” alcohol service module through Applebee’s University and are retrained every six months. However, following this violation, a complete management team overhaul took place, and a new general manager, Thomas Carano, was installed. Carano has since completed the county’s R.A.S.T. training and re-certified all servers in responsible service practices.
The board expressed concern over the breakdown in training and oversight but acknowledged the corrective actions. A $2,500 fine was issued, with $1,250 in abeyance.
Hacienda Los Globos – Lexington Park, MD
Two cases were presented involving Hacienda Los Globos, a restaurant located on Great Mills Road in Lexington Park. In the first, server Ramon Ruiz served a Bud Light to a 20-year-old confidential informant without checking ID during the August 27 compliance operation. Ruiz admitted he had not received formal alcohol service training and claimed he mistakenly assumed the individual was over 21 based on visible tattoos. A language barrier required translation assistance during the proceedings.
Ruiz was fined $100, with Board Member Richard Shen casting the lone dissenting vote, citing concern over the lack of training and understanding of alcohol laws.
In the second case, the license holder, Juan Carlos Herrera, was held responsible for the actions of his employee. Herrera stated that while the server had not received formal training at the time of hire, the establishment had previously conducted a TIPS training class for its staff. However, Herrera admitted that the business operated under a “check if under 35” ID policy rather than a 100% ID-check standard, a practice the board found concerning.
During questioning, board members expressed frustration over the ambiguity of Herrera’s role in the business. Though a 20% owner and licensee, he primarily works at another family-owned restaurant. The board urged Herrera to revise his ID-check policy and ensure uniform training and supervision across all locations. A $2,500 fine was levied, with $1,250 held in abeyance, and the board cautioned against future non-compliance.
Stoney’s at Clark’s Landing – Hollywood, MD
The fifth violation occurred at Stoney’s at Clark’s Landing, where employee Derek Andrew Hernandez served a Bud Light to a 20-year-old confidential informant on August 27, 2025. Hernandez admitted to the error, stating he had recently started employment and failed to ask for ID due to a lapse in attention. He noted that the restaurant maintains a 100% ID-check policy and that he had since completed additional training, along with other alcohol-serving staff.
Hernandez was fined $150. A separate hearing was held for the licensees of the establishment, Eugenia Stone and Charles Clark, who accepted responsibility for the employee’s actions. Stone stated she had taken immediate steps to correct the issue by arranging on-site TIPS training for 12 front-of-house staff members following the violation. The Board noted the establishment’s previously clean record and issued a $2,500 fine, with $1,250 held in abeyance.
Board Urges Stronger Training and 100% ID Policies
Across all cases, Board members emphasized the importance of strict ID verification protocols, consistent employee training, and active managerial oversight. The recurring theme of employees failing to ask for identification prompted discussion about whether establishments are taking sufficient steps to avoid such infractions.
Board Member Richard Shen repeatedly encouraged licensees to adopt 100% ID-check policies and cited the need for improved communication and enforcement of those policies among staff. The Board also discussed the potential value of community partnerships, such as participation in “We Card” programs, to support ongoing compliance.
Enforcement Operations Ongoing
According to Deputy Steve Myers, the Alcohol Enforcement Coordinator, these violations were part of a larger operation involving 13 compliance checks, with two alcohol-related violations and one tobacco-related violation identified in September alone. The Board has indicated that these enforcement efforts will continue, and violators will be held accountable.
