ORLANDO, Fla. — The weekend raid at a longtime Mills 50 music venue stemmed from an investigation into possible violations of Florida’s alcohol serving laws, an official with the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco confirmed.
Cleon “Uncle Lou” Williams, the owner of Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall and Grumpy’s Underground Eatery & Lounge, was arrested after agents said he served hard liquor at an establishment that was only licensed for beer and wine.
Uncle Lou’s is located at 1016 N. Mills Ave. Grumpy’s Underground Eatery & Lounge is located next door at 1018 N. Mills Ave.
A video circulating on social media showed Williams surrounded by agents in law enforcement vests either late Friday night or early Saturday.
The Orlando Police Department said it assisted ABT during the joint operation. OPD said ABT was the lead agency on the investigation and enforcement related to possible alcohol licensing violations.
As part of the operation, OPD said ABT undercover agents conducted investigative purchases and inspections at both establishments.
Police said OPD provided operational support and transported Williams to the Orange County Jail.
OPD also confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement later placed an immigration detainer on Williams because he had an expired visa.
News of the arrest spread quickly on social media, with many fans of Williams and his businesses referring to the operation as an “ICE raid” because of the immigration hold.
Officials, however, said the operation was led by ABT and centered on alcohol licensing violations.
Uncle Lou’s is well known across Orlando’s music scene for giving up-and-coming artists a place to perform. Artists said Williams did not have a formal policy for booking shows. If a date was available and someone asked to play, he would often let them.
Some musicians described playing at Uncle Lou’s as a “rite of passage” in Orlando.
“I started screaming and cussing at the sky,” said Sabrina Patricia, a member of the band Von Nacht, which was scheduled to play at Uncle Lou’s on Saturday evening. “He has watched me go from a little party monster, teenage punk rocker to a pretty successful musician. Every single time I come back to Orlando, I try to stop by there, give him a hug, see how he’s doing, make sure the business is doing okay.”
Friends said Williams is also known for helping people experiencing homelessness near his property and finding ways to employ them.
They said Williams has two adult daughters in the United States and is an active member of his local church.
“One of the most selfless people I’ve ever met,” Jessie Parrish said. “He shows up for people consistently, without asking for any recognition. He spent decades creating a place where people to every walk of life could easily be accepted.”
Court records show Williams previously pleaded guilty in drug-related cases from 1998, 2002 and 2011. Those cases are not connected to the current alcohol investigation. Channel 9 has asked ICE whether Williams’ prior record played any role in the immigration detainer.
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