A West Allis bar tied to a large federal drug trafficking investigation will lose its liquor and entertainment licenses after the city’s Common Council voted 9-0 to adopt a committee recommendation to revoke the licenses.
According to a complaint filed April 29 by the City of West Allis, Blaque Bar & Bites ‒ 1022 S. 60th St. ‒ is accused of allowing drug trafficking on its premises, repeatedly violating closing-hour laws, serving intoxicated patrons and operating as a disorderly establishment tied to fights, weapons violations and drug-related activity.
The West Allis Common Council voted May 15 to revoke the bar’s Class B liquor licenses and public entertainment license for the 2025-26 licensing period. Records show Jennifer Pierce as the registered agent of the business. Pierce confirmed she’s the owner in a statement to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
West Allis bar tied to federal case involving a Milwaukee landlord
Allegations against the bar surfaced as part of a broader federal drug conspiracy investigation involving Milwaukee landlord Sam Stair, 52, and 18 co-defendants.
Federal investigators allege Stair, owner of S2 Real Estate Group, leased his rental properties to individuals involved in drug trafficking operations across Milwaukee. Stair has pleaded not guilty to federal charges.
In both city and federal complaints, investigators allege Martin Sinclair, 42, who identified himself as the manager of the bar, operated a drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana.
Federal court records show investigators sought warrants to search the West Allis bar, multiple vehicles allegedly connected to the investigation and a single-family home in the 5000 block of West Jackson Park Drive in Milwaukee identified in court records as the residence of Sinclair and Pierce.
According to the federal complaint, Sinclair is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, maintaining a drug trafficking place, conspiracy to maintain a drug trafficking place, and using a cellphone to assist in the commission of a drug crime.
The Journal Sentinel reached out to Sinclair’s lawyer, Jeffrey Purnell, for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
Pierce called the allegations ’emotionally devastating’
Although Pierce is mentioned in the federal complaint, she is not charged in the case.
In a statement sent to the Journal Sentinel May 15, Pierce called the situation “emotionally devastating” and disputed what she described as a misleading public narrative surrounding the business.
“For the past three years, Blaque Bar & Bites operated as a business focused on creating a safe and inclusive environment for a diverse community in West Allis,” Pierce said. “Throughout that time, we consistently experienced what I believe was heightened scrutiny and treatment that differed from similarly situated establishments.”
Pierce said those experiences raised concerns about “bias, selective enforcement, and the treatment of Black and Brown business owners within the city.”
Pierce also denied the business was connected to the broader federal drug investigation beyond the building’s ownership.
“Our business was already established and operating long before his involvement, and any attempts to portray us as connected to matters outside of our business operations is inaccurate and extremely damaging,” Pierce said.
Pierce added that “no evidence has ever shown that Blaque Bar & Bites itself was engaged in criminal activity” despite what she described as years of inspections, monitoring, traffic stops and public scrutiny surrounding the business.
She also said the atmosphere surrounding the business became “increasingly adversarial” after she publicly raised concerns about the city’s treatment of the establishment.
“At the end of the day, this entire experience has been emotionally devastating,” Pierce said. “I ultimately chose to step away not because I admitted wrongdoing, but because it became clear that we were not wanted.”
Pierce also said she believes there is “a much larger conversation” surrounding race, selective enforcement and the treatment of minority-owned businesses.
Allegations at Blaque Bar & Bites
In addition to drug trafficking allegations against the bar’s manager, the city complaint outlined numerous incidents tied to the business between 2023 and 2026.
The city alleges Blaque Bar & Bites remained opened past mandatory closing hours on multiple occasions: on Feb. 11, 2024; July 25, 2024; and June 22, 2025.
The city also documented at least 12 alleged excessive-noise incidents, including loud music complaints from nearby residents and repeated police responses.
According to the complaint, police also documented numerous incidents tied to the business, including:
Other allegations against the bar include an October 2025 incident in which a security guard fled from police before crashing into a squad car and later being arrested for possessing a firearm as a felon, and a January 2026 traffic stop outside the property, in which police seized cocaine, crack, marijuana and drug-sale items from a vehicle.
Public Safety Committee findings
On May 12, the West Allis Common Council Public Safety Committee held a hearing on the allegations in the complaint.
According to the committee findings report, Pierce appeared at the hearing but declined to answer questions regarding the allegations after invoking her Fifth Amendment rights.
The committee members stated they reviewed evidence and testimony from a West Allis police officer and determined the following allegations against the bar were substantiated:
The committee concluded the violations were sufficient grounds to revoke the business’ Class B intoxicating liquor license, Class B fermented malt beverage license and public entertainment premises license.
Common Council revokes licenses
According to West Allis City Attorney Kail Decker, the Common Council voted 9-0 May 15 to adopt the Public Safety Committee’s recommendation to revoke the bar’s licenses.
Decker said no objection was filed to the committee’s findings before the council meeting.
Under Wisconsin law, Decker said licenses “shall be suspended or revoked” if no objection is filed to a committee report recommending revocation.
Adrienne Davis is a south suburban reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Got any tips or stories to share? Contact Adrienne at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: West Allis bar tied to federal drug case loses licenses
Reporting by Adrienne Davis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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