Contractors State License Board Undercover Sting Finds No Shortage of Unlicensed Contractors in Contra Costa County

    Homeowners urged to check licenses before hiring people to work in/around their homes

    SACRAMENTO – For a time, a home in Oakley could have used a revolving front door. That’s because a seemingly endless string of unlicensed contractors showed up there, ready to give a bid for home improvement work that requires a state license. Investigators issued a total of 25 Notices to Appear (NTA) in court to potentially face criminal charges.

    On October 10-11, 2018, the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) teamed with the Oakley Police Department to conduct an undercover sting operation targeting suspected unlicensed contractors.

    CSLB’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) identified potential suspects in a variety of ways, including ads on several social media apps, and invited them to go out to a home near Big Break Regional Shoreline to give a bid for the type of home improvement job they advertised.

    Twenty-four of the suspects could be charged with a misdemeanor count of Contracting without a License (Business and Professions Code (BPC) Section 7028). In California, a contractor license is required for construction projects valued over $500 for labor and materials combined. The penalty for a first-conviction includes up to six months in jail and/or up to $5,000 in fines.

    Bids received during the operation ranged from $1,800 for new sod and concrete, to $25,000 for installation of artificial turf, well over the legal threshold for contracting without a license. Other bids included installation of new laminate flooring, pavers, exterior painting, and a full kitchen remodel.

    Twenty-three of the suspects may also face a misdemeanor charge for illegal advertising (BPC § 7027.1). Unlicensed contractors can only advertise if the ad states that they are not a state-licensed contractor, and the type of jobs advertised for is worth less than $500.

    One of the suspects who could face both of those charges, Garrett Anthony Gallo, is also a registered sex offender. In 1999 CSLB issued an administrative citation to Gallo for contracting without a license. Gallo paid the associated $200 penalty.

    “Consumers should be sure to take some simple steps before hiring anyone to work in or around their home,” said CSLB Registrar David Fogt. “The fastest way is to make sure they have a state license, and to check the license status using CSLB’s Instant License Check. They should also use CSLB’s Find My Licensed Contractor feature to download and/or print a list of qualified licensed contractors in their area."

    Six of the suspects may also face a charge for requiring an illegally large down payment (BPC § 7159.5). Down payments for home improvement jobs in California cannot total more than 10% of the contract price, or $1,000, whichever figure is less.

    Three suspects who did not have a worker’s compensation policy for employees were issued a Stop Order (BPC § 7127), and may also be charged with violating Labor Code Section 3700.5. As a condition of licensure, contractors must carry workers' compensation for all employees. This coverage insures that if a worker is injured on the homeowner's property, the consumer is not held liable.

    Additionally, one suspect may be charged for working as an unregistered salesperson (BPC § 7153).

    All suspects were ordered to appear in court on Monday, December 3, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. at the Pittsburg Superior Court, 1000 Center Drive, Pittsburg, CA 94565 (MAP).

    The cases will now be forwarded to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office with a recommendation for criminal filings.

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

    DAY 1 - OCTOBER 10, 2018
    SUSPECT NAME
    CITY OF RESIDENCE    		 LICENSE CLASSIFICATION ALLEGED VIOLATION
    Oto Emili Tangitan
    Antioch    		 C-8 - Concrete Contractor Illegal advertising,
    Illegal Use of Contractor’s License Number,
    Contracting without a license,
    No Workers' Compensation Insurance
    Juan Pinon
    Oakley    		 C27 - Landscaping Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising,
    No Workers' Compensation Insurance
    Garrett Anthony Gallo
    Walnut Creek    		 C33 - Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Antonio R Guzman
    Antioch    		 C-8 - Concrete Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Larry Wilkes Jr.
    Bay Point    		 C33 - Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising,
    Excessive Down Payment
    Gable Jackson Payne
    Danville    		 C15 - Flooring and Floor Covering Contractors Unregistered Salesperson
    Alvaro Carrillo
    Oakley    		 C61/D12 – Synthetic Products Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Ronald Patrick Benner, Jr.
    Antioch    		 C33 - Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising,
    Excessive Down Payment,
    No Workers' Compensation Insurance
    Michael Stephen Farber
    Antioch    		 C10 - Electrical Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Tuiono Tovo Malakai
    San Lorenzo    		 C-8 - Concrete Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Alberto Ojeda-Cavillo
    Bay Point    		 C27 - Landscaping Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Luis Armando Correa
    Hayward    		 B – General Building Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising,
    Excessive Down Payment
    Raul Garcia Guardado
    Pittsburg    		 C33 - Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Pablo Calderon
    Oakley    		 C27 - Landscaping Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Rod Anthony Scardino, Jr.
    Antioch    		 C62/D3 – Awnings Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Anthony Peter Stanko
    Antioch    		 C33 - Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising

    DAY 2 - OCTOBER 11, 2018
    SUSPECT NAME
    CITY OF RESIDENCE    		 LICENSE CLASSIFICATION ALLEGED VIOLATION
    Jesus Ramirez Rodriguez
    Brentwood    		 C27 - Landscaping Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Aleksey Buynevich
    Oakley    		 C15 - Flooring and Floor Covering Contractors Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Israel Carvalho Leite
    El Sobrante    		 C-61/D6 – Concrete-Related Services Contractor Illegal advertising,
    Illegal Use of Contractor’s License Number,
    Contracting without a license
    Jesus Manuel Villanueva
    Antioch    		 C33 - Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising,
    Excessive Down Payment
    Kim Thi Tran
    Dublin    		 C27 - Landscaping Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising,
    Excessive Down Payment
    Alejandro M. Sanchez
    Brentwood    		 C54 - Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Contracting without a license
    Esteban Gomez Romero
    San Lorenzo    		 B – General Building Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Rudiel Siguenza Perez
    Antioch    		 C15 - Flooring and Floor Covering Contractors Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising
    Serafin Villasenor
    Antioch    		 C27 - Landscaping Contractor Contracting without a license,
    Illegal advertising

    CSLB conducts an average of one sting each week around the state each week to protect consumers, help level the playing field for legitimate contractors, and to curb the underground economy. Visit CSLB’s website for more tips on how to hire a licensed contractor.

    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 2017-18, CSLB helped recover more than $50 million in ordered restitution for consumers.


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