The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office said it conducted alcohol compliance checks at licensed businesses across the county on February 26, 2026, and found that one of 13 establishments sold alcohol without asking for identification.
According to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, the checks were carried out at about 3 p.m. by the Alcohol Enforcement Unit. The operation used a 19-year-old confidential informant under the supervision of Corporal Kristi Nelson of the Special Operations Division. Authorities said the informant, dressed in camouflage pants and a T-shirt, entered restaurants and retail stores and attempted to buy an alcoholic beverage while Nelson, working in plain clothes, monitored the checks.
The Sheriff’s Office said 12 businesses followed Maryland law by requesting identification from the 19-year-old before any sale could be made. One business, however, did not ask for identification or verify the buyer’s age and completed the sale of an alcoholic beverage, according to the agency.
The businesses that passed the compliance check:
- 7th District Bar & Grill 36786 Bushwood Wharf Road, Bushwood
- Atrium Wine and Spirit 37680 Mohawk Drive, Charlotte Hall
- Captain Sam’s 22664 Colton Point Road, Bushwood
- Fred’s Liquors 30075 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall
- Leonardtown Wine & Spirits 25470 Point Lookout Road, Leonardtown
- Lighthouse Liquors 30411 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall
- Merchants Lane Fine Wine & Spirits 40845 Merchants Lane, Leonardtown
- New Market Wine & Spirits 29233 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville
- Race-N-In 26755 Stone Corner Lane, Mechanicsville
- St. Mary’s Gas Station 23950 Colton Point Road, Clements
- Village Liquors 25731 Budds Creek Road, Chaptico
- Vino 2 Wine & Liquor: 30320 Triangle Drive, Charlotte Hall
The one business that did not pass the compliance check was Murphy’s Town & Country on Oakley Road in Avenue, according to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office.
