Two people were charged for illegal alcohol sales at a Central Florida hookah lounge.
An investigation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office of a Winter Haven lounge resulted in criminal charges against two employees for the illegal alcohol sales.
Undercover PCSO detectives visited Da Place Hookah Lounge at 3547 Recker Highway recently, and again on the following day.
Despite the lounge’s lack of a license to sell alcoholic beverages, detectives were able to purchase liquor and beer during both of their visits.
33-year old Wandy Noel and 26-year old Sallie Henry were both involved in the sales, and were subsequently charged at the Polk County Jail, according to local law enforcement.
Noel, the operator of the lounge, was charged with Maintaining a Business to Sell Alcohol Unlawfully. Henry, a bartender, was charged with Sale of Alcoholic Beverages without a License.
PCSO detectives worked with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) to determine that Da Place Hookah Lounge had no alcohol license.
From the Da Place Hookah Lounge, PCSO detectives seized 111 bottles of alcohol: 28-wine, 26-beer, and 57 liquor bottles.
ABT also worked with Lakeland Police Department in April of this year, during an investigation of another Wandy Noel-run business called The Hangout Lounge at 812 Memorial Boulevard in Lakeland. That business also operated without a liquor license, and Noel was arrested by LPD for the illegal sale of alcoholic beverages. Over 300 items of illegally possessed liquor items were seized, and Noel was eventually sentenced to 60 days in the Polk County Jail for what was at the time, just a misdemeanor.
“Two times in the past six months, Wandy Noel has attempted to illegally sell alcohol out of his businesses within Polk County,” said Sheriff Grady Judd. “I would suggest to him that he try a different business strategy, because this one just isn’t working out for him.”
On July 1, 2024, a new state law increased the penalty for the sale of alcohol at a commercial establishment to a third degree felony.
