Sellersville Forrest Lodge VFW cited for violating liquor code, state gaming act

Veterans of Foreign Wars Forrest Lodge Post No. 245 Sellersville on Old Bethlehem Pike in West Rockhill Township, Bucks County, has been cited by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board for violations of the state gaming act and the state liquor code dating back to 2022, including failing to keep winnings of games of chance separate from other sources of income.

Pennsylvania State Police’s Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement out of District No. 9 in Allentown, announced this week the names of 11 licensed establishments in six counties accused of violating the liquor codes in August, including Forrest Lodge Veterans Inc.

According to the police complaint, Forrest Lodge Veterans Inc. allegedly committed the following violations of the Pennsylvania Local Option Small Games of Chance Act:

• Failure to maintain “complete and truthful records” covering the operation of the licensed business for a period of two years immediately preceding June 26, 2024.
• Between Feb. 2, 2022 and July 11, 2024, Forrest Lodge Veterans Inc. failed to submit annual reports to the state Department of Revenue
• Between Jan. 1, 2023 and June 26, 2024, it failed to maintain proceeds of games of chance in a bank account separate from all other funds
• Between May 14, 2023 and May 14, 2024, it failed to operate small games of chance in conformity with the Small Games of Chance Act, in that it held more than one weekly drawing per week

The complaint also alleges that Forrest Lodge Veterans Inc. violated the Pennsylvania Liquor Code by committing the same alleged illegal acts, but added two additional violations:

• From June 26, 2023 to June 26, 2024, it failed to adhere to constitution and by-laws in violation of Liquor Control Board regulations.
• From June 4, 2023 to June 26, 2024, it failed to maintain records in conformity with provisions of the Liquor Code.

According to the bureau statistical report, in the month of August, the bureau received 109 complaints, of which seven received violation letters for violations of liquor laws, 15 received warning letters for violations, eight received citations for serving minors, and there were two criminal arrests.

The sweep was conducted at establishments in Berks, Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties, per the release.

Per Bucks County property records, Forrest Lodge Veterans has owned the property since 1936, with the first building constructed in 1920, followed by a separate building in 1950. In 2024, the property was approved for partial tax exemptions of its buildings and land totaling $102,000, per county assessment records.

Forrest Lodge faces penalties from $50 to $1,000 for minor offenses, and up to $5,000 for serious offenses, per the complaint. An Administrative Law Judge can impose a license suspension or revocation based on severity of charges.