Sting Operation Nets 29 Unlicensed Contractors Lacking WC Coverage

Wednesday, August 8, 2018 | 0

Craigslist and cellphone apps are proving to be useful tools for Florida investigators cracking down on unlicensed contractors who don't carry workers' compensation coverage.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri this week announced the arrest of 29 unlicensed building contractors, all caught in a sting operation after investigators placed help-wanted ads in the online advertising spaces, the Tampa Bay Newspapers reported.

The Sheriff's Office set up a fake business location that needed some remodeling and arrested the contractors when they showed up to bid on the work.

“Nobody, not one single person who showed up at this business we set up to do work, not one of them had a license,” Gualtieri said. “Every single one was doing this under the table.”

Some of the rogue handymen had outstanding warrants for arrest, the sheriff said. One suspect is known to authorities as a habitual offender who had three outstanding warrants for failure to carry workers' comp insurance. 

The Sheriff’s Office began doing investigations for the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board, which was an independent agency, about a year ago. As of July 1, the board is now part of Pinellas County government.

The Sheriff’s Office will continue to do sting operations until the numbers of arrests go down, the sheriff said.