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Calaveras: Home of Big Trees, Lots of Unlicensed Contractors

CSLB sting operation in Arnold cites eight on illegal contracting charges

SACRAMENTO – The small, picturesque town of Arnold, in Calaveras County, proved a busy hub for unlicensed contracting, as a recent Contractors State License Board (CSLB) undercover sting operation revealed. Eight individuals were cited on illegal contracting charges during the September 3, 2015, sting conducted by CSLB’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT).

CSLB regularly stages sting operations in cities small and large throughout the state to crack down on unlicensed contracting, which feeds a multi-billion-dollar underground economy in California, endangers the public, and creates unfair business competition for licensed, law-abiding contractors.

“It doesn’t matter if you live in a small, medium or large city in California. You can always find unlicensed contractors who don’t play by the rules,” said CSLB Registrar Cindi Christenson. “Our message to unlicensed operators in all parts of the state is that CSLB wants you to become a legitimate, licensed contractor, or find some other kind of work.”

SWIFT investigators posed as homeowners who were seeking bids for various home improvement projects that included painting, tree removal, deck refinishing, a concrete driveway, and a handicap access ramp at a single-family home in a wooded subdivision.

Investigators found an eager group ready to submit bids. Ten potential unlicensed contractors were contacted from local business cards and individuals advertising for contracting work in a classified ads publication. Nine showed up at the home, and eight submitted bids that resulted in illegal contracting citations. The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office helped process the suspects.

All bids exceeded $500 (including one for $10,000) in combined labor and material costs, the legal limit before a state contractor license is required (Business and Professions Code (BPC) section 7028). Penalties for first-time unlicensed contracting convictions include up to six months in jail and/or up to $5,000 in fines.

All suspects were issued a Notice to Appear in superior court for contracting without a license, and illegal advertising (BPC 7027.1). Contracting law requires unlicensed operators to state in all advertising that they are not licensed; the penalty is a fine of $700 to $1,000.

Suspects are scheduled to appear October 6, 2015, in Calaveras County Superior Court, 400 Government Center Drive, San Andreas, CA 95249 (MAP).

NOTE: All suspects are presumed innocent until their case is resolved.

SUSPECT NAME CITY OF RESIDENCE	LICENSE CLASSIFICATION	ALLEGED VIOLATIONS
David Christopher Wagner Avery	C-61/D-49 – Tree Service	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Austin Allen Beebee Austin’s Handyman Arnold	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising, No workers’ compensation insurance, Stop Order issued
Wayne Hugh Varn Mountain Man Maintenance Arnold	C-5 – Framing and Rough Carpentry	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Kenneth Raymond James Ken James Painting Soulsbyville	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
William Albert Heiser Hathaway Pines	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Kyle Thomas Kraft Kyle Kraft Construction, Labor, & Maintenance Murphys	C-5 – Framing and Rough Carpentry	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Salvador Casillas Marquez 49ers Construction and Landscape Valley Springs	C-8 – Concrete	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Jesse Martin Zamora 49ers Construction and Landscape Burson	C-8 – Concrete	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising

CSLB encourages consumers to always “Check The License First” by visiting www.cslb.ca.gov or calling its toll-free automated line: 800.321.CSLB (2752). Also, visit CSLB’s website for tips about how to hire a contractor and to sign up for CSLB Email Alerts.

The Contractors State License Board operates under the umbrella of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. CSLB licenses and regulates about 285,000 contractors in California, and is regarded as one of the leading consumer protection agencies in the United States. In fiscal year 2014-15, CSLB helped recover nearly $68 million in ordered restitution for consumers.

 

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