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175 Illegal Operators Rounded Up by CSLB during Statewide Undercover Operation

Unlicensed operators targeted in seven cities over two–day period

SACRAMENTO — The Contractors State License Board has (CSLB) topped last year's record of citations and arrests during its largest undercover operation ever. Last week (March 12-13) the CSLB conducted a statewide sting operation in seven different cities, simultaneously. The CSLB's entire Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) was involved in the operation, which is aimed at the underground economy and unfair competition.

A total of 175 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 a $500 fine. Twelve suspects were arrested and transported to jail, including a man wanted for child and spousal abuse, repeat offenders, 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.

The cities involved with two-day stings were American Canyon (Napa County), Anaheim (Orange County), Highland (San Bernardino County), Van Nuys (Los Angeles County), Exeter/Visalia (Tulare County) Placerville (El Dorado County) and Solana Beach (San Diego County). "An operation of this size was made possible through 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 in going after those who contract without a license and break other laws."

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:

• American 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. A laborer who accompanied another unlicensed operator had marijuana.
• Placerville - Guy set up for Day 2 of sting so anxious to give a bid, he showed up at end of Day 1.
• Van Nuys - Unlicensed operator took a customer with him to buy materials then stopped with him at sting house to give a bid.
• Visalia - Unlicensed operator who was distributing flyers for a licensed contractor stops at sting house and asks if he can give a bid.

News media from around the state ran stories about the operation. It was featured prominently in the Los Angeles Times, on Fox 11 Los Angeles and popular news-talk radio stations like KCBS and KFI along with major market dailies and TV stations.

The CSLB's SWIFT Unit conducts on the average of one sting per week somewhere in California. The Contractors State License Board licenses and regulates California's 315,000 contractors, and investigates more than 20,000 complaints annually. In fiscal year 2006-07, the CSLB obtained nearly $45 million in ordered restitution for consumers. To learn more about the CSLB, visit our Website at www.cslb.ca.gov.

 

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