Sting Catches Local Unlicensed Construction Contractors

In part of a California crackdown on unlicensed contractors, 19 and construction workers were cited in San Diego County, and one in Santee, a state agency announced on Friday.

The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) conducted the sweep in ten cities on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, identifying a total of 135 tradespeople offering their services without proper certification, across the state.

The suspects all received notices to appear in court in May.

The CSLB's "California Blitz'' operation also found and took into custody two registered sex offenders and two other people with outstanding warrants for burglary, domestic violence, and DUI.

"Consumers must check out the people they're going to hire to to make sure they're properly licensed,'' said Steve Sands, registrar for the state licensing board.

"A family's safety or finances could be jeopardized by not taking a few minutes to verify the contractor on CSLB's website or through our toll-free phone system,'' he said. "We hope this blitz is a wake-up call for consumers to check the license first.''

Such sweeps are conducted twice a year as a means of educating consumers about the dangers of hiring phony contractors, and to encourage contractor licensing. 

A few of the East County offenders (see full county list in media box):

• Elias Paul Berkshire-Anderson of Santee; framer and carpenter; contracting without a license
• Robin Lindsey Stevens of Lakeside; Painting, Siding and Decking; Contracting without a license, illegal advertising, failure to comply with an administrative citation
• Dennis Orlando Castellanos of El Cajon; cement worker; contracting without a license

City News Service contributed to this report.