An Unlicensed Landscape Contractor Arrested in California

Investigators Working To Identify Potential Victims

ELK GROVE, Calif. -- A contractor suspected of ripping off several Sacramento-area homeowners has been arrested for the second time in two months, state officials said Friday.

According to a news release from the Contractors State License Board, Sangato Mehei Telai was arrested Wednesday in Elk Grove.

Officials said Telai is an unlicensed landscape contractor and was previously arrested in early March, after which he pleaded guilty to charges of operating without a contractor's license. Telai was fined and served time in the Sacramento County Jail.

Investigators said earlier this week they received a tip that Telai might be working again in the Elk Grove area. Officers went to the home where Telai was believed to be working and arrested him on several outstanding warrants.

Telai and five of his employees were working in the backyard, where Telai was arrested without incident. CSLB investigators are in the process of identifying other potential victims.

"This arrest goes to show that some people have no regard for the law," said CSLB Registrar Steve Sands. "It's an unfortunate, but important example of why homeowners need to make sure they hire only licensed contractors for their home improvement projects."

By law, all contractors who perform work that totals $500 or more (labor and materials) must be licensed by the CSLB. Because many unlicensed operators don't comply with the workers' compensation laws, they often submit lower bids on jobs. But, if one of their workers is injured on the job, the homeowner could be considered liable. And, if a deal goes bad with an unlicensed contractor, the homeowner has few options.

The Contractors State License Board operates under the umbrella of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. The CSLB licenses and regulates California's 280,000 contractors, and investigates more than 20,000 complaints against contractors annually.