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Eureka! CSLB Cites Unlicensed Contractors on North Coast

10 required to answer charges in superior court after being caught in state sting operation

SACRAMENTO – Reports of unlicensed contracting activity on the North Coast brought the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) to Eureka last week, staging a one-day sting operation on June 21 that cited 10 persons on illegal contracting charges.

Members of CSLB’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) conducted the sting at a house near the Bayshore Mall with the assistance of investigators from the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office. It was easy for investigators to come up with a contact list of suspected unlicensed contractors in the area – the local listings of Craigslist were full of ads from those offering to perform home improvements that typically require a state contractor license.

Quotes were sought to install a new electrical panel and receptacle, do exterior painting, or replace sections of fencing. The highest bid received was $6,700 to paint the exterior of the 1,200 square foot house. In California, a contractor license must be obtained to perform construction work of $500 or more in materials and/or labor.

Ten persons who turned in bids that exceeded that state cap were cited for contracting without a state license (Business and Professions Code (BPC) section (§) 7028). Of those 10, seven face an additional misdemeanor charge of illegal advertising (BPC §7027.1) for failing to state in their advertising that they were not licensed.

CSLB Registrar Cindi Christenson noted that CSLB stages sting operations year-round in all parts of the state, including areas such as Eureka located away from major population centers.

“People who compete for construction work that requires a license shouldn’t think CSLB won’t go the extra mile to stop unlicensed contracting,” Christenson said. “California’s a big state, but we cover a lot of ground. We surprise a lot of unlicensed contractors in out-of-the-way locations.”

Those cited are scheduled to appear 8 a.m. August 22, 2016, in Humboldt County Superior Court, 825 5th Street, Eureka, CA 95501 (MAP).

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

EUREKA
SUSPECT NAME CITY OF RESIDENCE	LICENSE CLASSIFICATION	ALLEGED VIOLATION
Antonio Chavez Villareal Eureka	C-13 – Fencing	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Peter Heffernan Arcata	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Brian Edward Comstock Eureka	C-10 – Electrical	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Rodney Lee Robison McKinleyville	C-13 – Fencing	Contracting without a license
Robert Wayne Borders Eureka	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license
Paul Robert Vollman Eureka	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Jaycob Caleb Corn Eureka	C-13 – Fencing	Contracting without a license
William Arthur Moore Eureka	C-13 – Fencing	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Pamela Kaye Ward Eureka	C-10 – Electrical	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising
Raymond William King Arcata	C-33 – Painting and Decorating	Contracting without a license, Illegal advertising

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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