By Shawn Hogendorf, Correspondent 

Volunteers with both the Prior Lake Chamber of Commerce and the Prior Lake Amateur Baseball Association have been charged with serving alcohol to minors after failing alcohol compliance checks earlier this year.

A 52-year-old Prior Lake man was charged with serving a minor, a gross-misdemeanor, after he failed an alcohol compliance check conducted by police during the Chamber’s “Ladies Night Out” event on Sept. 17.

During the check of the downtown event, Gregory Dean Keil allegedly served alcohol to an 18-year-old woman, who was accompanied by a Shakopee police officer. The Shakopee officer was of legal drinking age.

The underage buyer and the Shakopee officer entered the gated beer garden area where alcohol was being sold, according to Prior Lake police Lt. Randy Hofstad. The underage woman and the police officer were stopped by a bouncer at the gate and asked to show wristbands.

During the check, the minor and the officer stated they didn’t have wristbands, Hofstad said. The person at the gate then told them they were technically supposed to have a wristband to be in the gated area, but allowed them in anyway. Once inside the gated area, the 18-year-old woman and the police officer each asked Keil for a beer, and both were served.

Keil sold the 18-year-old woman a Miller Lite in a red cup for $3 without checking ID, according to charges filed on Oct. 29 in Scott County.

Keil admitted to police that he sold the woman a beer without asking for identification. He went on to tell police he thought she was of age because he assumed her ID was checked at the entrance to the beer tent area.

Keil’s first court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 7 in Scott County District Court.

On Aug. 3, a volunteer for the Prior Lake Amateur Baseball Association also allegedly failed an alcohol compliance check after serving an 18-year-old man a beer during a baseball game at Memorial Park.

In that case, Kristin Marie Kodada, 29, of Fairbault, was charged with serving a minor, also a gross-misdemeanor, by the Scott County Attorney’s Office on Sept. 22. An omnibus hearing in that case is scheduled for Dec. 8.

During the check, a police officer in plain-clothes and the underage buyer each purchased a ticket for the baseball game. The officer and the minor then got in line at the concession stand, and each ordered a beer and were served, according to the complaint.

Kodada looked at the 18-year-old’s ID and then served him, according to the complaint. Kodada, who was a volunteer for a breast cancer awareness fundraiser, told police she looked at the photo on the ID, but not the date of birth.

If convicted, Keil and Kodada each face criminal penalties of a maximum of one year in jail and/or a $3,000 fine.

The failure of a compliance check can result in both criminal charges against the clerk and civil penalties against the liquor license holder.

Until a conviction is reached in criminal court against the clerk or volunteer in these cases, nothing will happen with respect to the civil penalties, according to city ordinance. If a guilty verdict is achieved in the criminal case, then the license holder may receive a civil violation, which can be appealed to the City Council.

While the Prior Lake Amateur Baseball Association has a longer-term liquor license and could be subject to civil penalties, the Chamber was granted a temporary license for the Ladies’ Night Out event, and the city does not have penalties in place for holders of temporary liquor licenses.

Shawn Hogendorf can be reached at (952) 345-6374 or shogendorf@swpub.com.