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Citation Alerts

March 14, 2008

175 Arrested in Contractors State License Board
Statewide Undercover Sting Operations

Unlicensed operators targeted in simultaneous seven-city “California Blitz”

SACRAMENTO — The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) has just completed simultaneous undercover sting operations in seven cities around the state. The stings were conducted by CSLB’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) over a two-day period (March 12-13). 175 people were arrested. Most will face misdemeanor charges or contracting without a license. 11 were taken to jail; five of them had arrest warrants. Others caught included an unregistered sex offender, a city worker who gave a bid during his lunch break, a man with a fake Social Security card, and another with a fake driver’s license. Three licensed contractors face possible administrative penalties for aiding and abetting unlicensed activity, in one instance allegedly “renting” his license to two men for $15,000 each.

SWIFT members posed as homeowners and invited suspected unlicensed operators to a sting location to bid on various construction jobs ranging from landscaping, fences and masonry to concrete, tile and painting. The purpose of these operations is to draw attention to the dangers to consumers who hire these phony contractors, to educate unlicensed workers about California laws, and to encourage those who qualify to get their contractors’ license.

The sting operations were conducted in El Dorado, Napa, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and San Diego and Tulare Counties. Joining the CSLB were various local law enforcement officials, the Fraud Division of the California Department of Insurance and the Department of Toxic Substances.

The people who showed up and bid more than $500 on contracting jobs were arrested and given “Notices to Appear” (NTA) before a Superior Court judge in about one month to answer to misdemeanor charges of contracting without a license and in many cases for illegal advertising as well. The charges carry a maximum of six months in jail or a $1,000 fine for the first offense. A second violation carries a mandatory 90-day jail sentence.

By law, all contractors who perform work that totals $500 or more (labor and materials) must be licensed by the CSLB. In addition, applicants undergo a background check and fingerprinting. “Many homeowners don’t realize the risk they take when they hire someone who is not licensed to do work in their home,” said CSLB Registrar Steve Sands. “What seems like a good deal almost always ends up costing a lot more. Many of these phony contractors are people you really don’t want inside your house or around your children.”

Because unlicensed operators don’t carry workers compensation insurance, they often submit lower bids on jobs. But, if one of their workers is injured on the job, the homeowner could be liable. Plus, if a deal goes bad with an unlicensed contractor, the homeowner has very few options.

The following are highlights from the enforcement operations:

LOCATION AGENCIES PARTICIPATING HIGHLIGHTS
American Canyon
Napa County
Contractors State License Board
American Canyon Police Department
American Canyon Planning Department
Napa County District Attorney's Office
Department of Insurance
19 Notices to Appear
Van Nuys
Los Angeles County
Contractors State License Board
Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
27 Notices to Appear
4 to jail
Solana Beach
San Diego County
Contractors State License Board
San Diego County Sheriff's Department
San Diego County District Attorney's Office
Solana Beach Code Enforcement
Department of Insurance
27 Notices to Appear
2 to jail
Exeter (Day 1)
Visalia (Day 2)
Tulare County
Contractors State License Board
Tulare County District Attorney's Office
23 Notices to Appear
1 to jail
Highland
San Bernardino County
Contractors State License Board
San Bernardino Police Department
California Dept. of Justice
Department of Insurance
27 Notices to Appear
2 to jail
Placerville
El Dorado County
Contractors State License Board
Department of Insurance
El Dorado County District Attorney's Office
Placerville Police Department
21 Notices to Appear
2 to jail
Anaheim
Orange County
Contractors State License Board
Anaheim Police Department
31 Notices to Appear
1 to jail

 

Sting details of note from various locations:

bulletAmerican Canyon – Unlicensed operator who lives down the street from sting site sees people bidding for jobs and asks if he can give a bid too.
bulletAmerican Canyon – One laborer who accompanied an unlicensed operator had marijuana.
bulletPlacerville – Guy set up for Day 2 of sting so anxious to give a bid, he showed up at end of Day 1.
bulletVan Nuys – Unlicensed operator took a customer with him to buy materials, stopped with him to give a bid at sting house.
bulletVisalia – Unlicensed operator who was distributing flyers for a licensed contractor stops at sting house and asks if he can give a bid.
 

February 20, 2008

Contractors State License Board Sting in Woodland
Snares a Dozen Illegal Operators

Man wanted for rape among those caught in joint operation

SACRAMENTO — Illegal operators who showed up at a sting house in Woodland were swept up by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) for unlicensed activity. Members of the CSLB's Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) posed as homeowners and invited suspected unlicensed contractors to bid on various home improvement projects. The enforcement action was done on February 14 in partnership with the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, the Yolo County Sheriff, The Department of Insurance and the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.

During Thursday’s sting, 12 operators were given a “Notice to Appear” (NTA) in Yolo County Superior Court in about one month for misdemeanor charges of contracting without a license, and advertising violations. The charges carry a maximum of six months in jail or a $1,000 fine for the first offense. A second violation carries a mandatory 90–day jail sentence.

One licensed contractor was cited for aiding and abetting an unlicensed operator. (Business and Professions Code 7114). There were three citations for contractors operating without workers compensation insurance, six for violations of child labor laws and three for cash payment of wages. Another suspect, Pedro Lopez, was arrested when it was discovered during a background check that he had an outstanding felony warrant for rape. He was booked into the Yolo county jail and was held pending $100,000 bail.

By law, all contractors who perform work that totals $500 or more (labor and materials) must be licensed by the CSLB. “Communities like Woodland and Yolo County are taking the lead in protecting their citizens from dangerous unlicensed operators.” said CSLB Registrar Steve Sands. “Homeowners may think they are saving money by hiring someone who is unlicensed. But you never know what kind of individuals you are inviting into your home and what their real motives are.”

The CSLB conducts sting operations on an almost weekly basis, to highlight the dangers to consumers who hire unlicensed workers, and to educate unlicensed workers about California laws. In this operation, investigators were targeting repeat offenders, subjects of complaints and blatant violators of advertising law. Contractors need to say if they are unlicensed or have their license number on their ad if they hold a valid California contractors license.

Before hiring any contractor, homeowners should go online or call CSLB’s automated phone system to verify that he/she holds a valid license. They can also check out the contractor’s license history and get bond and personnel information.

 

 

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Last modified: April 02, 2008