On June 27, 2014, two Southern California residents were sentenced to jail for helping people to cheat on state licensing exams.  Larry Charles Holmes, Jr. and Persilla Marie Ulloa of ACEAPP Training, were arrested in January following an investigation by the Department of Consumer Affairs’ (DCA) Division of Investigation.    Investigators determined the two illegally obtained exam material for 12 different state-administered exams.

The investigation began at the request of the Structural Pest Control Board, whose staff noticed certain irregularities.  The investigation then  expanded to other state licensing entities, including the Department of Pesticide Regulation, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Industrial Relations and  the California Secretary of State.

Both Holmes and Ulloa faced 24 felony charges in Los Angeles County Superior Court.  Holmes pleaded guilty to two felony counts of burglary and was sentenced to 30-days jail, 20-days work project, three-years  probation and $200,000 restitution.  He was taken into custody upon sentencing.

Ulloa was sentenced to 50-days jail and 3-years probation.  She, too, was taken into custody at the sentencing hearing.

"Obtaining a license from the State of California by cheating on an exam puts consumers at risk," said Alan Barcelona, president of the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA).  "Those exams that were compromised likely had to be tossed out and new ones created at the expense of tax payers.  Thanks to the work of our CSLEA members in DCA, these two are paying the price, in time and money."