Joint Sting Nets Unlicensed Contractors

Thirteen contractors in California and Nevada were cited for illegally bidding on jobs in a joint sting conducted by the California Contractors State License Board and the Nevada State Contractors Board.

For the first time, the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) and the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) teamed up in a joint enforcement operation on both sides of the California-Nevada state line. Particular attention was paid to people who crossed the state line to illegally bid on jobs.

The effort began with an undercover sting operation at a pair of neighboring cabins in Truckee, Calif. Members of CSLB’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) led the sting by posing as owners of the cabins, getting bids for various improvement projects including landscaping, painting, and flooring. Those who bid more than $500 for labor and materials were issued a notice to appear (NTA) in court. A total of 13 NTAs were issued for contracting without a license and related violations including illegal advertising and requesting an excessive down payment. Six of the 13 were issued to residents of Nevada. One of those six is a Nevada-licensed contractor. CSLB investigators received more than $86,600 in illegal bids during the sting, with three of the bids for at least $12,000.

California law requires any home improvement job valued at $500 or more for labor and materials be undertaken by a California-licensed contractor. California and Nevada have a reciprocity agreement, making it easier for contractors licensed in one state to get a license in the other. California law also requires advertisements for home improvement contracting services to include the California contractor license number. Those who perform jobs valued at less than $500 are allowed to do so in the state of California, but their ads must state that they are not a California-licensed contractor. In California a down payment for home improvement work cannot total more than 10% of the contract or $1,000, whichever is less.

“CSLB is excited to have this opportunity to take our reciprocity agreement a step further by having our investigators team up to share ideas and resources for combating the underground economy on both sides of the state line,” said CSLB registrar Steve Sands. “It is important that those contracting for home improvement projects in both states comply with consumer-protection laws and are properly licensed and insured in that state in which they are working.”

Contractors who received notices to appear in court include: Richard Mark Russell, 49 of Reno, Nev., flooring; Ildefonso Colmenero, 33 of Kings Beach, Calif., earthwork and paving; Benjamin Munoz, 39, of Truckee, Calif., landscaping; Edgar Ramon Solorio Zaragosa, 29 of Truckee, Calif., landscaping; Jorge Fernando Pena-Campos, 49 of Reno, Nev., painting; Jeffrey James Drake, 50 of Truckee, Calif., cabinet, millwork and finish carpentry; Michael David Durfee, 42 of Reno, Nev., painting; Aleta Jeanine Renteria, 46 of Reno, Nev., painting; Steven Gregory Snider of Reno, Nev. 54, landscaping; Matthew Nestore Williams, 29 of Truckee, Calif., painting; Tomas Prochzka, 34 of Truckee, Calif., landscaping; Donald L. Otto, 61 of Sparks, Nev., painting; and Bradley John Allen Moran, 38 of Soda Springs, Calif., landscaping.