Probationer Posing As Contractor Scammed RivCo Senior, Possibly Others: Police

RIVERSIDE, CA — A probationer accused of pretending to be a licensed contractor and stealing funds from a Riverside senior who hired him for a plumbing job that he never completed may have targeted others in the area, prompting police Wednesday to ask anyone with information to come forward.

Christian Derek Arellano, 32, of Fontana is charged with identity theft, embezzlement from an elder, contracting without a license, performing work under false pretenses and requiring a down payment in excess of the state maximum for retention of a contractor.

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Arellano pleaded not guilty during an arraignment last week before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Gail O'Rane, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for June 2 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

She ordered Arellano held in lieu of $150,000 bail at the Robert Presley Jail.

According to the Riverside Police Department, the defendant represented himself as the owner of Prime Plumbing & Sewer in Fontana and advertised with a state license allegedly swiped from a legitimate contractor.

RPD Detective Steve Espinosa said that, last month, an 80-year-old Riverside resident, whose identity was not disclosed, hired Arellano to handle a plumbing repair job at his property, and shortly after starting the project, the defendant disappeared — with the $1,000 that he'd required the victim to provide as an initial payment.

"Repeated attempts by the victim to have Arellano complete the work or return the money were unsuccessful," Espinosa said.

The senior conducted an online search and discovered that the defendant had a criminal record, at which point the victim contacted the police department's Economic Crimes Unit for help, according to the detective.

After confirming that Arellano had been using a contractor license number belonging to a business in Nuevo, investigators "learned he was on active felony probation in both Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties for similar crimes," Espinosa said.

"Detectives also located three outstanding felony warrants for contractor fraud-related crimes in Idaho, as well as a misdemeanor warrant for contractor fraud in Riverside County," the policeman said.

The defendant was tracked down and taken into custody without incident on Wyndham Lane in Fontana on May 18.

Police suspect he may have victimized others locally and asked anyone who may have information relevant to the ongoing investigation to contact the Economic Crimes Unit at 951-353-7118.

"The police department reminds the public to always check a contractor's license status online at cslb.ca.gov before contracting for services," Espinosa said. "Using an unlicensed contractor may create liability for the customer, as well as a lack of recourse for recovery of lost or stolen funds."