WEST DES MOINES, Iowa —

The West Des Moines City Council denied a liquor license to Maria Mendoza, the new owner of The Hall, after learning she was charged with tax evasion in 2020.

KCCI reported that in 2020, Mendoza and her husband were charged with tax evasion and fraud while they ran the XCaret bar, with court documents showing the business did not pay sales tax for two years. During Monday's meeting, the West Des Moines city attorney said Mendoza paid off those taxes and pleaded guilty to third-degree fraud.

"I just want to say that those are mistakes I made many years ago," said Mendoza during the meeting. "Yes, I have made mistakes in the past. I paid for those mistakes. I learned from it, and I have grown as a business owner."

Deputy City Attorney Jessica Grove still recomme

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