Nine More Stung for Allegedly Failing to Carry Comp

Friday, June 21, 2019 | 0

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office has arrested nine more contractors for allegedly operating without a license and without workers' compensation insurance.

The sheriff announced Wednesday that a sting operation, staged in conjunction with state regulators, advertised for bids on construction work. When the men showed up to look at the job north of Tampa, it was determined that they were not properly licensed and had no comp insurance on their workers, according to a news release from the sheriff and a local news story.

Those charged were:

Fredrick Moscato Sr., 59; Victor Calzada-Tinajero, 24; Victor Calzada-Morales, 45; Felix Lopez, 39; Hugo Hernandez-Ramirez, 42; Thomas Melville, 48; Darrell Brewer, 40; Joseph Grieco Jr., 43; and Michael Tucci, 49.

The arrests came almost simultaneously with the arrest of 10 other suspected unlicensed contractors next door in Pinellas County, part of a similar sting operation, authorities said.