5 Charged in Sweep of Illegal Contractors

In an ongoing sweep of unlicensed contractors profiting off the earthquake-ravaged Southland, Los Angeles City Atty. James K. Hahn filed criminal charges Monday against three San Fernando Valley residents and two others allegedly found working illegally as unlicensed contractors.

All five men were charged with contracting without a license after the declaration of an emergency, which is punishable by a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail. Jacob Pardal, 53, of Encino, was additionally charged with making false and misleading statements, which carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Four were arrested on Feb. 16, the other on March 8.

The arrests were part of a sweep carried out by investigators from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Bunco-Forgery Division and the California State Contractor’s Licensing Board.

Pardal was arrested in the 9200 block of Crebs Avenue in Northridge, where he was removing trees and bushes as part of a quake-repair project. He told officers he was hired by the homeowner for $1,300.

Other Valley residents charged included Daniel Garcia Smith, 62, of Canoga Park, who was arrested while repairing a wall at a home in the 1000 block of Lindley Avenue in Northridge, a $5,000 project. Jose Reyes Cruz Zuniga, 34, of Pacoima, was arrested while rebuilding a wall for $600 in the 9400 block of Crebs Avenue. Natividad D. Flores, 43, of Maywood, and Edwin Raul Morales, 39, of Los Angeles, were also charged in the sweep.