CSLB Hits Unlicensed Contractors with Citations During Southland Sting Operation

    Twenty-two suspects caught for violating contracting laws in Riverside County undercover operation

    SACRAMENTO - A contractor, whose license was taken away in the 1980's may have thought continuing to contract under the table would keep him a step ahead of the law. Little did he know, the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) is always on the lookout for unlicensed operators.

    Daniel Bryan Kelly was one of over twenty suspected unlicensed contractors caught by CSLB's Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) during a two-day undercover sting operation on September 26-27 in Bermuda Dunes.

    SWIFT partnered with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office and set-up their operation at a single-family home near the Bermuda Dunes Country Club. Suspect advertisements were spotted on popular job posting websites, local newspapers, and the yellow pages.

    The suspects bid on jobs like, tile cleaning and sealing, granite countertop installation, tree removal, installing a flagstone patio, converting a chemical pool into a salt water system, fabricating and installing a wrought iron fence, and installing garage doors.

    Bids ranged from nearly $1,000 for tile cleaning and sealing to $10,500, for a flagstone masonry project, quoted by Kelly. Those bids were well over the legal threshold when a state license is needed.

    In California, it's illegal for an unlicensed person to perform contracting work, including tile cleaning and sealing, on any home improvement project valued at $500 or more in combined labor and material costs. As a result, the suspects could now face a misdemeanor charge of contracting without a license (Business and Professions Code (BPC) §7028). First-conviction penalties include up to six months in jail and/or up to $5,000 in fines. A second conviction carries a mandatory 90 days in jail. Penalties are more severe with successive violations.

    Twenty-one of the individuals could face an additional charge for illegal advertising. Licensed contractors must display their license number in all advertisements; unlicensed contractors must state in all ads that they do not have a license. (BPC §7027.1) The penalty for violating the advertising rules for unlicensed contractors is a fine of $700 to $1,000.

    "Someone with a revoked license is knowingly working illegally, putting unsuspecting homeowners on the hook for property damages or injuries, and are undercutting legitimate contractors who comply with contracting and labor laws and regulations," said CSLB Registrar David Fogt. "By using CSLB's free online tools like 'Find My Licensed Contractor' or our 'Check a License' feature, homeowners can find a licensed contractor in their area and avoid the headache of hiring someone who could potentially be taking advantage of them."

    One suspect could be charged with being an unregistered salesperson (BPC §7153). All salespeople working for a contractor must be registered with CSLB.

    CSLB will now forward the cases to the Riverside County Attorney's Office with a recommendation for the criminal filings listed below. Eighteen suspects caught in this sting are scheduled to appear in court on January 9-10, 2018 at 7:30 am at the Riverside County Superior Court - Indio Larson Justice Center, 46-200 Oasis Street, Indio, CA 92201 (LINK). Four suspects were referred to the District Attorney and will receive their notice to appear in court on a later date.

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

    DAY 1

    SUSPECT NAME
    CITY OF RESIDENCE    		 LICENSE
    CLASSIFICATION    		 ALLEGED
    VIOLATIONS
    Hector Manuel Linares
    Cathedral City    		 D-49 Tree Service Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Edgar Antonio Bonilla Villatoro
    Indio    		 D-49 Tree Service Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Christopher Galvin McGowan
    La Quinta    		 C-61 Limited Specialty License/D-64 Non Specialized and C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Unregistered Salesperson
    Antonio Tomas
    Palm Desert    		 C-61 Limited Specialty License/D-64 Non Specialized and C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Katy Tomas
    Palm Desert    		 C-61 Limited Specialty License/D-64 Non Specialized and C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Raul Rodriguez
    Indio    		 C-61 Limited Specialty License/D-64 Non Specialized and C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Meldrick Saul Rodriguez Acosta
    Desert Hot Springs    		 D-49 Tree Service Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Gary Dean Fry
    Desert Hot Springs    		 C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Mariano Estuardo Gomez Aguirre
    North Palm Springs    		 D-49 Tree Service Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Jean Yves Bernard Girardin
    Cathedral City    		 C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising

    DAY 2

    SUSPECT NAME
    CITY OF RESIDENCE    		 LICENSE
    CLASSIFICATION    		 ALLEGED
    VIOLATIONS
    Edmund Anthony Jensen
    Palm Springs    		 C-61 Limited Specialty License/D-64 Non Specialized and C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Jose Luis Camacho Andrade
    Indio    		 D-49 Tree Service Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    William Todd West
    Palm Springs    		 C-29 Masonry Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Andres Preciado Del Real
    Cochella
    		 C-13 Fencing Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Tyler Paul Spillman
    Cathedral City    		 C-61 Limited Specialty License/D-64 Non Specialized and C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Guillermo Ramon Ocegueda Solis
    Desert Hot Springs    		 C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising,
    No Workers' Compensation Insurance
    Daniel Bryan Kelly
    Desert Hot Springs    		 C-29 Masonry Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    William Sterling Bowden
    Joshua Tree    		 C-61 Limited Specialty License/D-28 Doors, Gates and Activating Devices Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Phillip Charles Brown
    Coachella    		 C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Steven Rogert Reiter
    La Quinta    		 C-61 Limited Specialty License/D-64 Non Specialized and C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    James Marcus Sr.
    Cathedral City    		 C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising
    Douglas Frank Hollstrom
    Sioux Falls, South Dakota    		 C-61 Limited Specialty License/D-35 - Pool and Spa Maintenance Contractor Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising

    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 over $50 million in ordered restitution for consumers.


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