Townhouse Tavern.

Last week, Borderstan reported that Townhouse Tavern, the dive bar off of 17th Street on R Street NW, had been raided by the FBI and a shotgun had been seized. Details were scant of why and what had happened following the FBI raid. Now, TBD seems to have the full story, but boy is it complicated.

Some background: Townhouse Tavern has a bit of an unsavory reputation. The dive bar apparently used to be a place where one could easily score drugs like cocaine. However, 18 months ago, new management came in and tried to revamp the place. Dominic Boone, who now runs the bar and lives above it, hired a new staff, renovated the space, and tried to make it respectable.

The FBI got a warrant to raid the bar after an informant, who was searched beforehand, was able to procure cocaine after entering the bar. When the search was executed the FBI found a pipe with marijuana residue, empty plastic bags with green and white residue, as well as a loaded 12 gauge shotgun. Boone was arrested and held on drug charges following the raid.

However, the charges were dismissed when no actual drugs were found at the bar. Boone speculates that one of those unsavory characters who used to hang out at the bar could have tried to get out of a charge by being an informant for the FBI and giving up details about drug dealing at the bar. But the FBI was unable to find any concrete evidence of drug dealing.