The owner and an employee of the Croydon based State Road Deli Market have been charged for allegedly selling Coquito to customers.
According to state authorities, on Dec 23, 2025, a web complaint was received reporting the State Road Deli Market, located at 2518 State Road, Croydon posted on their Meta Page that they were taking orders for Coquito -coconut-based rum alcoholic beverage- for the holidays.
Investigators from the the state’s Liquor Control Board on Dec. 29, 2025, contacted the tipster who reported that they saw multiple Facebook posts from the premises advertising sales of homemade Coquito. Continued on this date, an open source query yielded the premises’ Facebook page displaying a post with a picture of a bottle of Coquito, and stated that they were taking orders with prices of $8.00 for virgin (non-alcoholic) and $12.00 with alcohol.
(The ” Coquito” posts have since been removed – a review of the deli’s Meta page.)
Investigators on Dec. 30, 2025, reviewed state data that showed the premises was not licensed by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB). Additionally, PLCB certification confirmed that the premises did not have any authority to sell alcoholic beverages within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (CWOPA).
On Jan. 3, 2026, at 3:01 p.m., Liquor Control Officers Messinger and Marrow entered the premises where Ofc. Marrow removed one (1) bottle of Coquito from the cooler and placed it on the counter. The clerk (later Identified as Effie Mae McMahon) confirmed that the bottle contained alcohol as written on the label. Marrow handed McMahon $13.00, and was provided ¢.28 in change, and the sale was rung up.
The bottle was secured, and later placed into evidence with a sample sent for laboratory testing. Continued on this date, a search of PA State Department records identified that the premises’ owner was Wilfredo M. Sanchez. A further open source search identified Wilfredo Miguel Sanchez-Caparachin and McMahon as workers at the premises. A further query of Bureau databases disclosed that neither Sanchez-Caparachin nor McMahon are registered and/or authorized by the PLCB to sell liquor within the CWOPA, officers wrote in court papers.
On Jan. 14, 2026, at 7:15 a.m., Investigators returned to the deli where they noticed four bottles of Coquito in the cooler. A bottle was placed on the counter, purchased for $13.00. The bottle was secured, and later placed into evidence with a sample sent for laboratory testing, investigators said
On Jan. 21, 2026, at 7:01 a.m., investigators Messinger and Marrow entered the premises where Marrow noticed two bottles and purchased one (1) bottle of Coquito, court papers show.
The investigators reentered the deli, identified themselves to McMahon. McMahon was identified after presenting their Pennsylvania driver’s license as being (20) years old.
Authorities seized the remaining bottle of Coquito from the cooler and both bottles were secured, and later placed into evidence with samples sent for laboratory testing. Ofc. Marrow then recovered the currency used to make the purchase from the register. Marrow requested that McMahon contact Sanchez-Caparachin to respond to the premises.
While awaiting Sanchez-Caparachin, McMahon was given Non-Custodial rights and agreed to answer questions, court papers show.
McMahon, according to the probable cause, admitted that they did possess and sell Coquito a rum based alcoholic beverage to Marrow on the above listed dates. McMahon further stated that they have been employed at the premises for over five (5) years and continued working under the new owner Sanchez-Caparachin since May 2023, McMahon also admitted that they assisted Sanchez-Caparachin in making the Coquito under Sanchez-Caparachin’s direction.
At 7:50 a.m. Sanchez-Caparachin arrived at the premises and was identified after presenting their Connecticut driver’s license. Sanchez-Caparachin was given Non-Custodial rights, and agreed to answer questions. Sanchez=Caparachin stated that they are the registered owner of the premises since May 2023 and are the sole operator with their only employee being McMahon. Sanchez-Caparachin admitted to purchasing Bacardi Coconut Rum Liquor at various liquor stores in New Jersey and transported
the rum into Pennsylvania in order to make Coquito and sell it at the premises. Sanchez-Caparachin further admitted that since May 2023 they have made and sold about fifty (50) bottles of Coquito and that they do not have a valid license to sell liquor within the state of Pennsylvania.
On Feb.9, 2026, PLCB certification confirmed that McMahon, Sanchez-Caparachin and/or the premises did not have authority to sell or dispense alcoholic beverages in the CWOPA from Jan. 1, 2025 through Jan. 21, 2026, according to court records.
On Feb. 21, 2026 analysis from the Pennsylvania State Police Laboratory confirmed that all samples submitted contained alcohol, the criminal complaint says.
Sanchez-Caparachin has been charged with selling alcohol illegally, selling of alcohol by a minor, and related offenses.
McMahon has been charged with selling alcohol illegally and a related offense.
Both were charged by mail summons and are scheduled to appear for hearings on April. Neither has a attorney of record listed as of publication time.
