Sting: State Cracking Down on Unlicensed Contractors in Sacramento Area

Any home improvement job that costs $500 or more in combined labor and material requires that a person have a state-issued contractor license.The state is cracking down on tradesmen who are operating without a license.

Last month, undercover sting operations were conducted in Roseville and Sacramento by investigators from the Contractors State License Board’s (CSLB) Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT). They snared 23 individuals for illegal contracting.

“It’s always important to call or check CSLB’s website to make sure the contractor you’re considering has a valid state contractor license,” said CSLB Registrar Cindi Christenson, “but during good weather, there’s also an increase in home improvement projects and the number of illegal contractors who put you at risk.”

Investigators also confirmed that two individuals cited on the first day of the Roseville sting were registered sex offenders.

Citations were issued to:

• James Edward Gardner, Sacramento
• Joseph Anthony Naspini, Sacramento
• Kevin Michael Vanarkel, Sacramento
• Houman Abtahi, Sacramento
• Jose Salvador Arguello Rodriguez, Sacramento
• Jasha Conall Mims, Sacramento
• Christopher E. Applegate, Sacramento
• Tanya Nicole Sisson, Sacramento
• Donald Kent Mendez, Citrus Heights
• Fredrick Lee Wilburn, Sacramento
• Josue Acosta-Chavez, Sacramento
• Armando Hernandez Flores, Sacramento
• James Lee Pryor, Sacramento
• Rafael Orduna Delgado, Rancho Cordova
• Carlos Antonio Henley, Carmichael
• Ignacio Mena, Carmichael
• Freddie Barron Jr., Sacramento
• Slobodan Radusinovic, Fair Oaks
• Eric Goodwin Hall, Fair Oaks
• Jose Velazquez, Sacramento
• John William Vanbuskirk, Sacramento
• Jesus Leon Perez, Sacramento
• Michael D. Remington, Rancho Murieta