Man Sentenced in Quake Repair Scam
A Simi Valley man who posed as a licensed contractor after the 1994 Northridge earthquake was sentenced to 695 days in county jail, the Los Angeles city attorney’s office said Wednesday.
Patrick Jacques Wachs, 43, was sentenced by Van Nuys Municipal Judge Lloyd Nash who found he was in violation of his probation by failing to pay restitution to the homeowners, prosecutors said.
Deputy City Atty. Don Cocek said Wachs posed as the owner of a licensed pool and spa company, then used that cachet to make shoddy earthquake repairs to swimming pools of two San Fernando Valley residents.
Wachs was convicted Nov. 7, 1996, on two counts of contracting without a license. He was ordered to pay $775 in fines and $15,000 in restitution to the homeowners, but failed to appear for a subsequent hearing at which he was to show proof of payment to his victims.
Wachs remained a fugitive until Oct. 24, when he was arrested in West Hills by Ventura County sheriff’s deputies.
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