By hannover-web.com Recently, law enforcement conducted a two-day undercover operation in Riverside County, leading to the arrest of 12 unlicensed contractors. According to a report from KTLA 5, these individuals are facing serious charges, which could result in substantial fines or even imprisonment. Officials allege that the unlicensed contractors were solicited for various construction projects, including landscaping, painting, and masonry.
Under California law, unlicensed contractors are prohibited from bidding on any projects with costs exceeding $500, including materials and labor. During the undercover operation, the contractors who were asked to submit bids provided estimates significantly over this threshold, with prices ranging from $2,300 to $32,000. All 12 have received court summons, facing misdemeanor charges related to illegal contracting activities.
The penalties for these violations can include fines of up to $15,000 and a maximum of six months in jail. Repeat offenders could face mandatory 90-day jail terms and fines up to $5,000 or 20% of the contract price. Additionally, six of the unlicensed contractors are accused of requesting deposits exceeding the legal limit of $1,000 or 10% of the total project cost, with potential fines of $5,000 and additional jail time for these misdemeanor charges.
The operation took place from September 24-25 in Menifee, with local police assisting the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and the California License Board in the investigation.
