9 Unlicensed Contractors Arrested In Sarasota Bust

Editor's note: one name was removed from this article as the case was dismissed.

SARASOTA, FL — Nine people face criminal charges after Sarasota County Sheriff’s deputies say they attempted to perform contracting work without the proper licenses.

The men were arrested during “Operation Freelancer III,” the continuation of an ongoing effort meant to crack down on unlicensed contractors. Since 2012, the sheriff’s office has assigned several of its detectives to look into cases where people are accused of performing contracting work without proper certification, permits or licenses.

“A first offense usually results in a civil citation by code enforcement but subsequent violations lead to misdemeanor or felony criminal charges,” an email from the sheriff’s office said. The defendants also receive a cease and desist order from the State of Florida.”

The recent three-day sweep resulted in nine felony charges and 14 misdemeanor charges, the sheriff’s office said. Those arrested happen to have a combined history of 91 prior felony charges and 32 convictions, the agency noted in a media release.

One of the defendants, Charles Duff, 72, of Nokomis “has an extensive criminal history including a conviction for armed robbery in 2016 where he entered a bank claiming to be armed with explosives,” the sheriff’s office noted.

Aside from Duff, those arrested during the operation were:

• Patrick Merchant, 30, of Bradenton
• Edilson Dos Santos Pereira, 49, of North Port
• Robert Wieselman, 61, of Sarasota
• (removed)
• Moises Gonzalez, 43, of Sarasota
• Michael Maggio, 53, of Sarasota
• John Yoder, 68, of Sarasota
• Eric Larson, 49, of North Port

“This is a good reminder why consumers should always seek licensed contractors to perform work on their home or business,” Sheriff Tom Knight said in a statement. “Consumers are exposing themselves to financial and physical risk by allowing these people to enter their home, unlicensed, and in some cases, with criminal histories. Not only does this illegal activity pose a threat to consumers, but it also directly effects legitimate business owners operating within the parameters of the law.”

Image courtesy of the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office

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