Unlicensed Contractors in Fire Area Are Charged

A task force established to protect wildfire victims from fraud as they rebuild their homes has charged 15 unlicensed contractors in San Bernardino County with felonies, authorities said Monday, warning homeowners that they must continue to be on guard.

State Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi said the San Bernardino County district attorney’s office has filed charges of contracting without a license in a declared disaster area, which is a felony.

The state requires a contractor who performs work worth more than $500 to be licensed to ensure that major projects are performed by a qualified professional who has met state-mandated standards.

Unlicensed contractors normally face misdemeanor charges, said Gary Fagan, a San Bernardino County supervising deputy district attorney whose fraud prosecutors are handling the cases. But the crime is more serious in a disaster area.

A jury has already convicted Leon Bryant, who’s awaiting sentencing for giving a resident a written estimate to provide repairs to a home. Four others have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, Fagan said.

Residents in the wildfire zones seeking information can contact the San Bernardino County district attorney’s Bureau of Victim Services at (909) 387-6540; the Contractors State License Board at (800) 962-1125 or (800) 321-2752; the Department of Insurance (800) 962-1125; or the Better Business Bureau (909) 825-7280.