The St. Mary’s County Alcoholic Beverages Board (liquor board) has fined the owner of a Charlotte Hall bar $1,500 for thee violations. Heavy Hitters Bar & Grill licensee Glenn Buckler, Sr. stipulated to the facts of the case, but did not admit guilt.
Buckler’s son was the former licensee of the bar. Buckler received the transferred license in July, just five days before the violation. His son is now serving five years in jail in West Virginia.
Glenn Buckler, Jr. was one of 12 people arrested in September of 2009 when federal authorities working closely with local law enforcement agencies in Calvert, Charles, Prince Georges and St. Mary’s counties executed 20 search warrants based upon a Federal Drug Conspiracy Indictment recorded by authorities. Heavy Hitters was one of the places searched.
On July 26 of this year, according to stipulated facts, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Alcohol Enforcement Coordinator DFC James Stone and the board’s inspector Tommy Thompson found 388 bottles of liquor and a siphon in a shed behind the bar. Agents of the Maryland Comptroller’s Office were summoned and Buckler was called.
Buckler testified that his son, unbeknownst to him, put the bottles back in the shed after he had told the liquor board that they had been disposed of. A bartender told the inspectors that the former licensee (Buckler’s son) had siphoned liquor, which is against the law, possibly for the purpose of diluting it.
Buckler told the liquor board: “I was just as shocked as anyone. I did not believe my eyes.” He added, “No way would I jeopardize my business for something like that.” He said his son told him he thought he was doing him a favor, a point that totally perplexed him. “I guess that was just his last hurrah before going to prison,” he added.
One of the violations was for storing alcohol in an unlicensed place (the shed). Buckler insisted he had not been in the shed and that his son had taken keys to the shed from the bar when he wasn’t there.
Several board members questioned the actions of the bartender, but Buckler and his attorney said they had been unable to locate her and she no longer works at the bar.
Board member Linda Palchinsky said it was Buckler’s responsibility to know what was happening at the bar. Guenther argued the liquor had been moved into the shed during a short time frame when Buckler wasn’t there.
There were only three members in attendance. Chairman Moses Saldana was not present and a newly appointed member hasn’t been sworn in. The motion for the fines was made by Betty Currie and seconded by Palchinsky. Board Vice Chairman William Cullins said the fine was higher than he would have preferred.
In other actions the board approved license transfers for St. Inigoes General Store, Laurel Grove Station and Lynn’s Café in Leonardtown at the Maryland Anti
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