These 9 contractors tried to perform illegal construction work, Manatee deputies say
Nine contractors have been arrested or cited for attempting to perform construction work without the proper licensing or insurance, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said Friday.
In a two-day sting operation earlier this week, the sheriff’s office caught nine men who they say tried to take on plumbing or electrical without state certification.
Undercover agents put out advertisements for construction-level jobs and arrested people who illegally attempted to do the work, according to arrest records.
“The purpose of the operation was to address unlicensed contractors who are working without the required contractor license and engaging in construction-class work without the required workers’ compensation insurance exemptions,” the sheriff’s office said in a Friday morning press release.
The sheriff’s office partnered with the Florida Department of Financial Service’s Division of Investigative and Forensic Services and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Arrest records show deputies set up at a house in Parrish where they waited for contractors to respond to different offers for work.
In one arrest, a contractor from Boca Raton offered to paint a house for about $1,500, but he did not have workers’ compensation insurance, according to investigators. Another man falsely claimed he had insurance before offering to install six LED lights in the living room as well as a water heater for $500.
These nine men are facing charges or citations:
- Phillip Lee Hazlett, 74, failure to secure workers’ compensation insurance coverage and engaging in contractor business without plumbing certification
- Bryan Edward Koch, 57, failure to secure workers’ compensation insurance coverage
- Michael Kochman, 61, failure to secure workers’ compensation insurance coverage, engaging in contractor business without plumbing certification and engaging in contractor business without electrical certification
- Carlos Alberto Blanco Graterol, 42, failure to secure workers’ compensation insurance coverage
- Musa Kedar Ortiz, 41, failure to secure workers’ compensation insurance coverage, engaging in contractor business without plumbing certification and engaging in contractor business without electrical certification
- Oscar Francisco Solis, 50, engaging in contractor business without plumbing certification
- John Wesley Wilcox III, 27, failure to secure workers’ compensation insurance coverage and engaging in contractor business without plumbing certification
- Jeffrey Michael Stumpo, 45, failure to secure workers’ compensation insurance coverage, engaging in contractor business without plumbing certification and engaging in contractor business without electrical certification
- Rafael Marinho Amaral, 36, failure to secure workers’ compensation insurance coverage, engaging in contractor business without plumbing certification and engaging in contractor business without electrical certification
The sheriff’s office routinely performs sting operations to catch unlicensed contractors. A similar operation in October 2021 resulted in the arrest of 13 unlicensed contractors.
Deputies have also issued scam warnings about illegal contractors, reminding residents that they often take advantage of areas that have been hit hard by natural disasters like hurricanes.
“Residents seeking to hire a contractor should verify proper licensing and proof of insurance,” the sheriff’s office wrote on its website. “Always ask to see their credentials, references from other customers and never agree to pay the full amount for services upfront.”
This story was originally published January 27, 2023 at 2:02 PM.
