“If they don’t have a state issued contractor’s license, they haven’t passed state exams or a criminal background check.   Are these really the type of individuals you want working around your family on home improvement projects?” -Alan Barcelona, CSLEA President

Investigators with the California Contractors State Licensing Board (CSLB)  conducted two undercover sting operations  during the last week of August  which netted 20 unlicensed contractors, one of whom was arrested on an active warrant for felony assault with a deadly weapon.

On August 27, 2015, CSLB investigators, with the assistance of Bear Valley Police and the Kern County District Attorney’s Office, posed as homeowners at a house in Tehachapi and asked for bids on home improvement projects.  During the course of the sting, investigators cited nine people suspected of violating state contracting laws.  One of the nine had an active warrant for his arrest, another was on probation for violating state contracting laws and had a Notice to Appear for the same charges stemming from a CSLB undercover sting in Bakersfield earlier this year.

“There’s no shortage of guys who want to take your money for home improvement projects that they’re not qualified to do.   State investigators work with local law enforcement to protect consumers from being ripped off or taken advantage of because they didn’t know to hire a licensed contractor,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona.

CSLB investigators also conducted a sting in Sacramento’s Natomas community on August 27-28, 2015.  Eleven men, allegedly contracting without a license, were cited during the two day operation.  Investigators contacted the workers through online ads and newspaper advertisements.  Of the 11 cited, two were previous offenders.