Pittsburgh man accused of illegally selling booze at Homewood 'speakeasy'

A Pittsburgh man is accused of running a “speakeasy” that sold liquor and beer without a license in the city’s Homewood neighborhood.

Sean Reese, 34, is accused of owning and operating an illegal operation called “Club Secrets,” state police said Tuesday in a news release. Investigators filed the charges against Reese in Pittsburgh Municipal Court on Monday night.

After getting a tip about the suspected illicit booze operation, officials with state police’s Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement served a search warrant at the location on Dec. 14, officials said. Investigators say they found and seized 48 liters of liquor, 40 gallons of malt or brewed beverages, bookkeeping documents and more than $3,200 in cash.

Per state law, selling alcohol without obtaining a license to do so from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board can amount to fines starting at $2 per fluid ounce for each container of malt or brewed beverage, and $4 per fluid ounce for wine or liquor containers. The fines are based on the capacity of the containers when full.

If an individual is found guilty, failure to pay fines can lead to a lien being placed on the property where the illegal sales happened.

Reese faces six counts of illegal liquor sales and six counts of illegal sales of malt or brewed beverages. All charges are misdemeanors.

He is scheduled to appear in Pittsburgh court for a preliminary hearing on March 9.

For more information about state police’s liquor enforcement efforts, go to PSP.pa.gov/LCE/.