2 Plumbers Plead No Contest to Overbilling Homeowners

Two Burbank plumbers are to be sentenced Oct. 8 in Los Angeles Superior Court after pleading no contest to charges that they overbilled elderly homeowners for repairs.

Under a plea bargain with prosecutors, James Tubbs, 41, could be sentenced to up to 12 months in jail, whereas his former employee, Richard Fugelsby, 37, faces a maximum of 45 days in jail, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Patricia Horikawa.

James Tubbs pleaded no contest to five counts of grand theft and one count of conspiracy to commit grand theft. Fugelsby pleaded to one grand theft count and one conspiracy count.

Horikawa said the judge postponed sentencing until October to give the men time to devise a plan for making restitution to the victims. The amount of restitution has not been determined.

A third defendant in the case, William Tubbs of North Hollywood, James’ 40-year-old cousin and co-owner of the now-defunct All Plumbing Service of Burbank, is scheduled for a pretrial hearing July 17 before Judge Bernard J. Kamins. If convicted, he faces up to six years in prison.

After a seven-month preliminary hearing in 1984, William and James Tubbs were arraigned on 18 counts of grand theft and one count of conspiracy to commit grand theft. Fugelsby was held on three counts of grand theft and one conspiracy count.

Horikawa said 22 victims testified at the preliminary hearing, including an elderly woman who paid $10,000 for new pipes that prosecutors contend should not have cost more than $3,000.

The case was referred to prosecutors by the Contractors’ State License Board, the deputy district attorney said.