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Contractors in San Diego Area Looked Legitimate, But Weren't

CSLB sting operation cites 19 in El Cajon for violating state’s license, advertising laws

SACRAMENTO – A contractor who rolls up to your door in a service truck or uniform bearing a company name and logo may look the part, but that doesn’t mean he or she is licensed to perform home improvement or repair work beyond a $500 limit.

That’s a lesson worth taking from a sting operation conducted by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) this week in El Cajon. A total of 19 persons were cited on illegal contracting charges in the sting on April 26-27, 2016 – most of whom had a company name to show off, but none held a California contractor license needed to perform the job they were bidding for.

Investigators with CSLB’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) conducted the sting at a large, single-family home in the tree-lined Hillsdale neighborhood. Investigators compiled a list of suspected unlicensed contractors from online advertising and business review sites, business cards, and referrals. Those persons were offered the chance to come by the house and bid on tree services, fencing, concrete, tile work, paver installation, and drywall by the investigators acting as homeowners. California Highway Patrol officers assisted in the operation.

All 19 persons who came to the house and turned in bids were cited for contracting without a state license (Business and Professions Code (BPC) section (§) 7028) and an additional misdemeanor charge of illegal advertising (BPC §7027.1). State law requires unlicensed contractors to state in all advertising that they are not licensed.

The tree service bids came in as the highest among the projects for the two days, led by quotes of almost $24,000, and $17,000.

Unlicensed operators can only perform construction-related jobs of less than $500 for materials and/or labor, state law says. A state contractor license is required for work and/or materials higher than that limit.

CSLB Registrar Cindi Christenson said consumers should not be swayed solely by appearances when weighing offers for home improvement or repair work.

“We’ve seen unlicensed contractors go to great lengths to act the part of a professional, even to the point of wearing matching uniforms and drive a vehicle bearing a company logo,” Christenson said. “Although persons without a license can certainly be affiliated with a company and wear their attire, they can only bid on construction-related projects of less than $500. For any work exceeding that amount, it’s very important to check for a valid license on CSLB’s website.”

CSLB regularly stages sting operations 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.

Those cited are scheduled to appear July 21-22 and 28-29, 2016, in San Diego County Superior Court, 250 E. Main Street, Dept. 2, El Cajon, CA 92020 (MAP).

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

SUSPECT NAME CITY OF RESIDENCE	LICENSE CLASSIFICATION	ALLEGED VIOLATION
Ramon Martinez Benitez Benitez Tree Service San Diego	C-61/D-49 – Tree Service	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Charles Otto Jr. La Mesa	C-13 – Fencing	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Rosario Garcia Juarez RG Landscape and Garden San Diego	C-61/D-49 – Tree Service	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Fernando Ocampo-Salgado Rosas Tree Service Lemon Grove	C-61/D-49 – Tree Service	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Martin Amador El Cajon	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Steven Cartmill Bobcat and Excavator Service Descanso	C-21 – Building Moving/Demolition	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Mike William Van Sickle New Image Landscaping & Maintenance La Mesa	C-29 – Masonry	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Sargon Aywas Elegant Painting El Cajon	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Juan Salvador Juan Zacarias Juan’s Handyman Construction San Marcos	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Isaac Lewis Wiley Applied Paint Ltd. San Diego	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Santiago Montejo Gaspar Santiago Landscaping San Marcos	C-61/D-49 – Tree Service	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Nick Dolan Poway	C-13 – Fencing	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Javier Sanchez-Gomez Javier Sanchez Gardening Service El Cajon	C-61/D-49 – Tree Service	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Rodrigo Sierra Granados Sierra’s Landscape & Design Spring Valley	C-27 – Landscaping	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Xavier Estrella La Mesa	C-54 – Ceramic and Mosaic Tile	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Hector Razo Hector’s Painting & Design San Diego	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Jose Luis Pacheco Garcia Affordable Cleaning Services Etc. San Diego	C-61/D-49 – Tree Service	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Nir Levin SoCal Garage Doors San Diego	C-61/D-28 – Doors, Gates and Activating Devices	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Andres Fernando Gaspar Fernandez Landscape & Construction San Diego	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising

CSLB urges all California consumers to follow these tips before hiring a home improvement contractor:

• Verify the contractor's license online at www.cslb.ca.gov or www.CheckTheLicenseFirst.com, or via CSLB’s automated phone system at 1-800-321-CSLB (2752)
• Ask to see a photo identification to verify the contractor’s identity
• Don't pay more than 10 percent down or $1,000, whichever is less
• Don't pay in cash, or let the payments get ahead of the work
• Get at least three bids and insist on a written contract before your project begins

Visit CSLB’s website for more 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 almost 290,000 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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