Crime & Safety

Tampa Police Arrest Four Unlicensed Contractors

East Tampa sting targets air conditioning contractors.

Tampa Police arrested four handymen Wednesday for selling air conditioning services without a license. The arrests resulted from a sting operation investigators in the department's construction fraud unit operated out of an East Tampa home.

An undercover investigator posed as a homeowner and met with the men. The suspects were taken into custody once they agreed to complete the work.

By state law, construction contractors must be licensed, including air conditioning, roofing plumbing, electrical, drywall and painting providers.

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Charged in Wednesday's operation were: Nestor Ortez, 27, John Schafer, 30, Toby Jenkins, 41, and Matthew Herndon, 41. The men were processed by officers at Ragan Park and charged with a first-degree misdemeanor of contracting without a license and given a notice to appear in court before being released.

The construction fraud unit makes about two or three such arrests a month, said investigator Michael Mitcham.

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The focus of the arrests isn't so much about not having a contracting license as it is about protecting homeowners from potentially life-threatening mistakes made by workers who aren't certified in the services they're selling, he said.

Last year, the unit arrested 100 suspects for contracting without a license.

"We're probably only scratching the surface of these things — it's pretty rampant," Mitcham said.

Contractors must put their license number in any advertising materials — such as brochures, door hangers, business cards, and vehicle advertisements — or they risk a $500 fine, he said.

Many times, unlicensed contractors will advertise their services on Craigslist or store bulletin boards.

Mitcham suggested consumers look for reputable, licensed contractors in the Yellow Pages — which requires proof of licensing.

If you are looking to hire a contractor and want to know if they're licensed, call the Tampa Police construction fraud unit at 813-276-3291. Leave a message and an investigator will follow up with you.


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