Red Hook Winery Owner Busted For Making Moonshine, Officials Say

RED HOOK, NY — The owner of the Red Hook Winery was busted by state officials last week after they said he was bootlegging moonshine in the back, authorities said.

Mark Synder, the owner of the 204 Van Dyke St. winery, was arrested on May 9 for illegally making grappa and brandy using unlicensed and dangerous stills set up in the back of the spot, according to the State Liquor Authority (SLA). It was the first bust for bootlegging in the state in more than two decades, officials said.

"The discovery of an illegal moonshine operation in the heart of Brooklyn is nothing short of shocking, given how easy and inexpensive it is to obtain a distiller’s license in New York State," SLA Counsel Christopher R. Riano said in a statement.

"This licensed manufacturer has not only demonstrated his utter insouciance for state and federal laws, but has created a dangerous situation by operating a primitive, make-shift bootleg operation in one of the most densely populated areas of our state."

Law enforcement agencies received a tip that Synder — who opened the winery in 2008 — was distilling moonshine without permits, the SLA said. State officials visited the spot at 2 p.m. on May 9 when they found four stills and more than forty cases of packaged moonshine.

The stills were a fire and explosive hazard, powered by a makeshift electrical box with exposed wires that was installed directly above gas burners, the SLA said. Synder was ordered to take apart the stills and National Grid shut off the gas line to the spot.

Distilleries are required by the state get a Distilled Spirits Plan (DSP) permit from the federal government along with a license from the SLA before they can install equipment and make moonshine, officials said.

Synder's lawyer, Diane Ferrone, said that he was cooperating with officials to comply with regulations before the arrest, putting the grappa on hold and shutting down the brandy production. Ferrone added that he only bottled the grappa after federal officials told him to.

"We are very, very surprised by the actions of the sheriff in arresting Mr. Synder," Ferrone said. "Nobody witnessed a sale that day, cause he wasn't selling. The SLA statement is very dishonest from our perspective."

Synder faces between one to two years for the charges, which Ferrone said they plan to fight in court.

Image: State Liquor Authority