“State investigators routinely work with local district attorneys’ offices to conduct undercover stings which help to identify and arrest unlicensed contractors.  These unlicensed contractors have not passed background checks or the necessary tests to show they know how to properly conduct their work, which puts consumers at risk.” – CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

MARTINEZ – On November 17, 2022,  the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office announced felony and misdemeanor charges against an unlicensed contractor for defrauding multiple victims in Contra Costa County. 

 Adan Contreras Rivas, 41, of Modesto, faces 38 charges for financial elder abuse, theft by false pretense, theft with specified priors, and violations related to his fraudulent contracting practices. 

Rivas has been under investigation since his initial offenses were reported by a victim in Walnut Creek in June 2022. When authorities arrested Rivas in Morgan Hill on November 8, 2022, he was operating under the name “Gutierrez Tree Services”— though he has used various business names like “New View Tree Care.” Rivas is alleged to have posed as a licensed contractor in the landscaping and paver industry and taken thousands of dollars from unsuspecting consumers. Many of his alleged victims are elderly and residing in affluent neighborhoods in Walnut Creek and Concord. Investigators also believe there are additional victims in Contra Costa County, the South Bay, and the Central Valley.

Unlicensed contractors pose a threat to consumers by failing to acquire skills and licensure when hired to perform home improvement or construction projects. Some unlicensed contractors illegally require excessive down payments for construction or landscaping projects, and frequently fail to begin or complete projects once they receive money. Consumers are often unaware unlicensed contractors do not have completed background checks and usually do not carry workers’ compensation insurance for their employees – which increases liability risks to consumers.

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office partners with multiple government agencies including the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) and the California Department of Insurance (CDI). This partnership conducts undercover sting operations and investigations involving unlicensed contractors who fail to obtain workers’ compensation insurance.

California law requires contractors to be licensed in their chosen specialty and to obtain workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. Licensed Contractors are only allowed to request a down payment of $1,000 or 10% of the contract (whichever is less).