ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 16, 2007) - Agents for Comptroller Peter Franchot, working in conjunction with the Prince George's County Police Department raided the Langley Park Boys and Girls Club early Saturday morning, seizing $6,000 in contraband alcohol. Law enforcement personnel found three people running an illegal after-hours club on the premise.

"The club's activities are a slap in the face to the state's alcoholic beverage licensing laws and Prince George's County laws and regulations," said Comptroller Peter Franchot. "These illegal operations hurt law-aiding businesses and the communities where they are located."

At approximately 1:50 a.m., agents and police executed a search and seizure warrant at the Langley Park Boys and Girls Club, located at 1515 Merrimac Drive in Hyattsville, Md. Agents confiscated more than 800 containers of alcoholic beverages, valued at approximately $6,000 along with nearly $1,000 in cash. Many of the alcoholic beverages had been purchased in the District of Columbia and therefore were untaxed in Maryland and illegal to sell. This investigation began approximately three weeks ago when undercover police officers purchased alcohol from the unlicensed club on three separate occurrences.

Law enforcement personnel arrested Benjamin A. Mitchell, 27, of Brooklyn, NY, Elaine Beverly Wallace, 46, of Brooklyn, NY, and Shakera Daley, 30, of Bladensburg, Md. All face misdemeanor charges, including; the sale of alcoholic beverages without the required license, possession of alcoholic beverages for purpose of sale and possession of untaxed alcoholic beverages. If convicted, the suspects face possible penalties of $1,000 fine and/or two years imprisonment for the first two charges and a $10,000 fine and/or five years imprisonment for the last charge.

This raid brings the total number of persons arrested this fiscal year for alcoholic beverage violations to 59, with the confiscated beverages worth more than $167,000.

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CONTACT:

Christine Duray, 410-260-6346 (office), 443-336-0215 (cell)