22 Unlicensed Contractors Cited by CSLB in Ventura County

    Homeowners take unnecessary risks by hiring unlicensed contractors

    SACRAMENTO – On February 26-27 the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) conducted a sting operation in Ventura County, which resulted in the citation of 22 unlicensed individuals. One of those cited had an expired license, which is why investigators are reminding the public about the importance of always hiring a licensed contractor.

    CSLB's Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT), with help from the Ventura County District Attorney's office and Simi Valley Police Department, posed as homeowners and contacted alleged unlicensed contractors based on their advertisements. The workers were invited to a 5-bedroom, single-family home in Simi Valley to bid on home improvement projects.

    One individual cited for illegal contracting was using a CSLB license number that had expired in 2010. That person faces a penalty for fraudulent use of an incorrect license number (Business and Professions Code (BPC § 7027.3). Those interested in getting a contractor license are encouraged to attend one of our licensing workshops.

    "Consumers should look up a contractor's license number on CSLB's website to make sure it's current and in good standing," said CSLB Registrar David Fogt. CSLB's website offers a "Find My Licensed Contractor" feature that provides a list of licensed contractors in any area by searching by city or ZIP code.

    The highest bid received during the Simi Valley sting was from one individual who offered $25,000 for installing artificial grass in the backyard of the home. Other bids included $7,000 for painting, $6,500 for landscaping, and $5,500 for concrete work. In California, it's illegal for an unlicensed person to perform any contracting work on a 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 (BPC §7028(b)). First-conviction penalties include up to six months in jail and/or up to $5,000 in fines. Penalties are more severe with each successive violation. A second conviction carries a mandatory sentence of 90 days in jail.

    The advertisements, which initially tipped-off SWIFT investigators to the suspects, could lead to an additional misdemeanor charge for all 22 suspects who neglected to state in their ads that they were not licensed (BPC § 7027.1). Advertisements for unlicensed contractors must note that they are not a state-licensed contractor.

    The Simi Valley sting also resulted in four citations for failure to carry workers' compensation insurance (Labor Code (LAB) § 3700.5) after individuals came to the job site with employees. Contractors with employees must carry workers' compensation insurance. All C-39 Roofing contractors must have a workers' compensation policy even if they do not have employees. Contractors can submit a Certificate of Workers' Compensation Insurance on the CSLB website.

    In addition, five of the bidders required an excessive down payment before starting work and were also written-up for that alleged violation. It is illegal for contractors to ask for more than 10 percent down or $1,000, whichever is less (BPC §7159.5 (a)(3)(b)).

    All suspects were ordered to appear in court at the Ventura County Superior Court, 800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, CA 93003 on May 15-16, 2019, at 8:30 am.

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

    SIMI VALLEY DAY 1 – FEBRUARY 26, 2019
    SUSPECT NAME
    CITY OF RESIDENCE    		 LICENSE CLASSIFICATION ALLEGED VIOLATION
    Oscar Tomas Hernandez-Cortez
    Canoga Park    		 C-54 Tile (Ceramic and Mosaic) Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Ruben Reyes Alonso
    Ventura    		 C-27 Landscaping Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising,
    No Workers’ Compensation
    Manlio Penuelas
    Simi Valley    		 C-33 Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    William Daniel Tanner
    Chatsworth    		 C-54 Tile (Ceramic and Mosaic) Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising,
    Illegal Down Payment
    Mario Reyes
    Los Angeles    		 C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Antonio Quinones Pinela
    Canoga Park    		 C-27 Landscaping Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Roberto Nova Rodriguez
    Camarillo    		 C-27 Landscaping Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Jeanne Marissa Ramirez Bernal
    Camarillo    		 C-27 Landscaping Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Maderi Bahador
    West Hills    		 C-33 Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Masood Kazemeyni
    West Hills    		 C-33 Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising

    SIMI VALLEY DAY 2 – FEBRUARY 27, 2019
    SUSPECT NAME
    CITY OF RESIDENCE    		 LICENSE CLASSIFICATION ALLEGED VIOLATION
    Francisco Rafael Mendoza-Guzman Sr.
    Santa Barbara    		 C-8 Concrete Contractor Illegal Advertising,
    Fraudulent use of incorrect license number
    Randall Lee Brandes
    Simi Valley    		 C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising,
    Fraudulent use of incorrect license number
    Jose Antonio Gonzalez-Gonzalez
    Oxnard    		 C-54 Tile (Ceramic and Mosaic) Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising,
    No Workers’ Compensation
    Cory Alan Meade
    Thousand Oaks    		 C-27 Landscaping Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising,
    Illegal Down Payment
    Rigoberto Vargas Galeana
    Thousand Oaks    		 C-33 Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Dale Warren Debrunner
    Fillmore    		 C-33 Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising,
    Illegal Down Payment
    Bryce Warren Debrunner
    Ventura    		 C-33 Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising,
    Illegal Down Payment
    Guillermo Dimas Cazarez
    Moorpark    		 C-27 Landscaping Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising,
    No Workers’ Compensation
    Emmanuel Ramirez Hernandez
    Simi Valley    		 C-23 Ornamental Metal Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising,
    Illegal Down Payment
    Joseph E. Bergholtz
    Camarillo    		 C-54 Tile (Ceramic and Mosaic) Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Felipe Palafox-Leal
    Oxnard    		 C-8 Concrete Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Zakreia Adly Morkos Agaiby
    Ventura    		 C-27 Landscaping Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising,
    No Workers’ Compensation

    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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