The owner and an employee of a deli and market have been charted after state authorities allege they illegally sold homemade alcoholic beverages.
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The charges against the owner and employee of the State Road Deli Market on State Road come after an investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement.
Authorities began looking into the market just before Christmas 2025 after receiving a complaint regarding an online advertisement for Coquito, a traditional Puerto Rican holiday drink that typically includes alcohol.
According to court papers, the business’s Facebook page offered “virgin” bottles and alcoholic versions for sale.
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A records review on Dec. 30, 2025, confirmed the establishment did not hold a license from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to sell alcohol, according to state police.
Undercover liquor control enforcement officers visited the market three times in January.
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An officer purchased a bottle of Coquito from a cooler after a clerk confirmed it contained alcohol. Investigators returned on Jan. 14 and Jan. 21, purchasing additional bottles each time, state police said.
The store’s clerk told investigators he helped prepare the drinks, state police said.
The owner of the market on State Road, according to state police, admitted to purchasing Bacardi Coconut Rum in New Jersey and transporting it into Pennsylvania to make the Coquito.
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The owner further stated he had sold approximately 50 bottles of the beverage since May 2023 despite lacking a valid liquor license, state police said.
Laboratory results returned in February confirmed the samples of the drink purchased at the store contained alcohol, state police said.
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Last month, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board verified that the business, owner, and the employee did not have had the authority to sell or dispense alcohol between January 2025 and January 2026, state police said.
The 42-year-old market owner, a resident of Stamford, Connecticut, faces several misdemeanor and summary charges. The 20-year-old employee, a Bristol Township resident, was charged with a single misdemeanor and a summary offense.
The owner and clerk were charged via summons.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
