Contact Us
Contractors State License Board9821 Business Park Drive
Sacramento, CA 95827
Phone (800) 321-CSLB
General Info- Newsroom
- 2007 Industry Bulletins
- 03/21/2007
CSLB Industry Bulletin - 03/21/2007
Contractors State License Board Rounds up More Than 150 in Statewide Undercover Enforcement Operation
California Blitz simultaneously targets illegal operators in seven different locations
SACRAMENTO — The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) announces the results of its biggest undercover operation ever. Last week (March 14-15) the CSLB conducted a California Blitz, consisting of seven different sting operations in seven different cities, simultaneously. The CSLB's entire Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) was involved in the operation, which is aimed at combating the underground economy.
A total of 167 people were arrested and issued a Notice to Appear (NTA). They will have to go before a Superior court judge to answer the misdemeanor charges, which could lead to a penalty of six months in jail and/or $1,000 fine. 15 suspects were arrested and transported to jail, including an unregistered sex offender with a no bail warrant for parole violation.
The cities involved with two-day stings were Escondido (San Diego County), Orange (Orange County), Hemet (Riverside County), and Redondo Beach (Los Angeles County), Brentwood (Contra Costa County) and Sacramento (Sacramento County). A one-day sting was held in Davis (Yolo County).
"We could only pull off this type of operation with the cooperation of industry, local cities and law enforcement agencies, District Attorneys, and our partners in the Fraud Division at the Department of Insurance," said CSLB Registrar Steve Sands. "Each of these groups stepped up to show their commitment to going after those who contract without a license and break other laws."
Here is a round-up of each sting operation:
| Location | Escondido (San Diego County) March 15-16, 2007 - Sting Only |
| Partners | Escondido Police Department Escondido Code Enforcement Division San Diego County District Attorney's Office Department of Insurance |
| Results | 29 Notices to Appear One Licensee Citation Three Pending Administrative Actions 27 Notices to Appear (Building Permit Violation) |
| Noteworthy Case | Richard Remington, an unlicensed painter, insisted to the undercover officers that he be paid in cash because he didn't want to jeopardize his Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. That got Mr. Remington, a convicted felon, a visit from two special agents from the Social Security Administration. In addition, Remington was driving with a suspended license, so his car was towed away and impounded. |
| Location | Orange (Orange County) March 15-16, 2007 - Sting & Sweep |
| Partners | Orange Police Department Orange County District Attorney's Office Department of Insurance-Fraud Division |
| Results | 30 Notices to Appear Seven Pending Administrative Actions |
| Location | Hemet (Riverside County) March 15-16, 2007 - Sting Only |
| Partners | Riverside County Sheriff's Department Riverside County District Attorney's Office Department of Insurance-Fraud Division |
| Results | 29 Notices to Appear One Licensee Citation 14 Pending Administrative Actions |
| Location | Redondo Beach (Los Angeles County) March 15-16, 2007 - Sting & Sweep |
| Partners | Redondo Beach Police Department Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office Department of Insurance-Fraud Division |
| Results | 36 Notices to Appear Five Licensee Citation Five Non-Licensee Citations Six Pending Administrative Actions One Workers Compensation Insurance Violation |
| Noteworthy Case | Repeat-offender Blaine Lewis was arrested on an outstanding $10,000 warrant. He was also driving with a suspended license and his vehicle was towed and impounded. During simultaneous sweep operation, a NTA was issued to Edwin Mayorga, who was also arrested for a $3,000 warrant (Driving Under the Influence). Wilson Remberto Zavala Perez, an unlicensed painter, was arrested and transferred to Los Angeles County Jail. He is a child sexual predator/unregistered sex offender. He was arrested on a no bail warrant due to parole violations. |
| Location | Brentwood (Contra Costa County) March 15-16, 2007 - Sting Only |
| Partners | Brentwood Police Department Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office Department of Insurance-Fraud Division |
| Results | 15 Notices to Appear Four Non-Licensee Citations Four Licensee Citations |
| Location | Sacramento (Sacramento County) March 15-16, 2007 - Sting Only |
| Partners | Sacramento Police Department Sacramento County District Attorney's Office Department of Insurance-Fraud Division |
| Results | 17 Notices to Appear 11 Licensee Citations Three Warning Letters Five Citations Issued by Sacramento Police Officers |
| Noteworthy Case | One person arrested with an active arrest warrant told officers that he tested positive for tuberculosis the previous week. The sting had to be shut down and all staff present had to undergo a tuberculosis test. Later it was determined that the individual arrested was found to not be positive for the disease. |
| Location | Davis (Yolo County) March 15-16, 2007 - Sting Only |
| Partners | Davis Police Department Yolo County District Attorney's Office Department of Insurance-Fraud Division |
| Results | 11 Notices to Appear Two Licensee Citations |
The CSLB's SWIFT Unit conducts on the average of one sting per week somewhere in California. The CSLB licenses and regulates California's 308,000 contractors, and investigates more than 20,000 complaints against contractors annually. In fiscal year 2005-06, the CSLB helped consumers get more than $36 million in restitution. To learn more about the CSLB, visit our Website at www.cslb.ca.gov.
