Many San Diego County “handymen” were caught in a Chula Vista sting for taking on jobs that required a contractor license, the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) announced Monday.
Last week, CSLB investigators posed as homeowners seeking bids on improvement projects like tile, stucco, tree removal and painting.
They contacted people who they suspected of unlicensed contracting, many of whom advertised their services online, on vehicles and through fliers.
Under California law, workers cannot do a job for more than $500 without applying for a contractor license.
“We’re finding that many persons who bill themselves as jack-of-all-trades are uninformed, or don’t care that there’s a cap of $500 on the construction services they may perform,” said CSLB Registrar Cindi Christenson in a statement. “They may be able to fix small things around the house, but we often see self-described handymen taking on projects that are beyond their skill or experience level, and that can be dangerous.”
On the first day of the sting, eight people came to the house to turn in bids. They were immediately cited on illegal contracting charges. Nine received the misdemeanor citations the next day.
Seven of the workers submitted bids for much more than the state limit; the highest bid was for $8,000, the agency said.
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According to the CSLB, 16 of the 17 people were cited for not having a state license. Twelve of the suspects were also cited for illegal advertising because they did not state on their advertising that they were not licensed.
Investigators wrote up one person for acting as a home improvement salesperson, which usually requires CSLB registration, and they found some landscaping and tree service workers were “playing fast and loose” with contracting laws, according to a CSLB release.
The following suspects were accused of misdemeanors during the sting:
- Juan Martin Garcia Ramirez: Contracting without a license, illegal advertising
- Domingo Alonzo Pasqual Zacarias: Contracting without a license, illegal advertising
- Jose Manuel Solis Lopez: Contracting without a license, illegal advertising
- Jose Jassiel Rodriguez: Contracting without a license
- Salomon Aquino-Cruz: Contracting without a license, illegal advertising
- Helmut Edward Bustamante: Contracting without a license, illegal advertising
- Julian Morales: Contracting without a license, illegal advertising
- Eliu Gamaliel Escobar Perez: Contracting without a license, illegal advertising
- Alberto Ramiro Valenzuela: Contracting without a license, illegal advertising
- Jorge Alberto Villalobos: Contracting without a license, illegal advertising
- Fernando Olea: Contracting without a license
- Marino Santiago Hernandez: Contracting without a license, illegal advertising
- Quentzalcoatl Dennis Chacon: Contracting without a license
- Radolaw Krajewski: Contracting without a license
- Jahaziel Alberto Hernandez: Acting in the capacity of a salesperson without registration
- Alberto Manuel Gallegos: Contracting without a license, illegal advertising
- Miguel Angel Neavez: Contracting without a license, illegal advertising
The people are scheduled to be arraigned in May.
The CSBL reminds property owners to always verify a contractor’s license before hiring them for work. You can look up licenses by clicking here.
