Oct 30, 2009
SEDRO-WOOLEY Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) officers turned over its case to the Skagit County Prosecutors Office Tuesday after a Sedro-Woolley woman attempted an illegal sale of apple pie moonshine to an undercover liquor enforcement office after advertising it on the Internet.
The woman, Kristie Acosta, was charged Thursday Oct. 29, 2009, in Skagit County District Court under state law RCW 66.44.090, Operating without a Liquor License. This is a gross misdemeanor.
Following up on a complaint, WSLCB Region 3 Enforcement Captain Thomas Dixon found a Craigslist posting for an apple pie beverage with moonshine as an ingredient. The so-called apple pie is a distilled spirits concoction usually made with 190 proof (95 percent) alcohol, which is not sold in Washington without a special permit.
The consumption of apple pie beverage appears to be a recurring theme in the upper-Skagit area, said Dixon. The high alcohol content can sneak up on a drinker and has become a factor in accidents, domestic violence incidents and other community problems.
Following arrangements to meet for the transaction, Dixon purchased two 750 ml bottles for $50 at a rural Skagit County restaurant parking lot. Later, working with the Skagit County Prosecutors Office, WSLCB enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for the womans residence. The search revealed 21 bottles of apple pie and several receipts and notes relating to the sales, purchase of products and recipes for the manufacture of large amounts of liquor-based apple pie.
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