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May 16, 2023

TABC arrests two for alleged illegal alcohol sales at Dallas-area BYOB bar

AUSTIN — A joint operation between the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) and the Dallas Police Department has resulted in the arrest of two Dallas-area women for selling alcohol without a license at a bring-your-own-bottle (BYOB) establishment.

TABC agents arrested Irma Lillian Medina, 30, and Lixy Dariely Juarez Miralda, 20, on May 6 after they allegedly sold alcohol without a license while working at El Patron Sports Bar & Billiards, located at 10571 Denton Drive in Dallas. The business, which operates as a BYOB location, does not hold an active TABC license or permit to sell alcohol.

El Patron had been operating as a BYOB business since October 2022, when it lost its license to sell alcohol following a TABC investigation into allegations of subterfuge and violent incidents on the premises. Businesses can operate as BYOB without a TABC license; however, Texas law prohibits alcohol from being sold, and distributors of alcoholic beverages may not make deliveries to businesses that do not have a TABC license.

The joint operation that led to Medina’s and Miralda’s arrest began in April after TABC received reports that alcohol was being sold at the unlicensed business. The resulting investigation confirmed the illegal sales at El Patron and revealed that much of the illegal alcohol was being stored at a neighboring bar. That alcohol, which included dozens of cases of malt beverages and several bottles of distilled spirits, was seized by TABC agents following the investigation.

“A TABC license is more than permission to sell alcohol. It’s proof that a business has been vetted as meeting the state’s requirements to operate safely and responsibly,” said TABC Executive Director Thomas Graham. “Selling alcohol without a license is not only illegal, but it also places the public at risk of alcohol-related incidents such as DWI, assaults, or worse. More than that, it’s also unfair to the thousands of Texas businesses who obey the law and obtain the necessary license to legally sell alcohol.”

Selling alcohol without a license is a violation of Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code §§11.01 and 61.01, which carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a fine of between $100-$1,000.

Media Contact:

Chris Porter

TABC Public Information Officer

(512) 206-3462

media@tabc.texas.gov