Redondo puts the sting on 14 unlicensed contractors

By Larry Altman Staff Writer
Posted: 10/05/2010 07:03:53 AM PDT
Updated: 10/05/2010 05:48:30 PM PDT

State investigators posing as homeowners cited 14 unlicensed contractors during a sting in Redondo Beach, authorities said Tuesday.

The undercover investigators sought bids for flooring, painting and masonry jobs, the Contractors State Licensing Board said in a statement.

Redondo Beach police officers assisted board investigators during the sting on Sept. 28 and 29.

Contractors who quoted prices at more than $500 and did not have licenses were cited. California law requires all home-improvement jobs priced at more than $500 to be done a licensed contractor.

Contractors who also asked for more than a 10 percent down payment and whose advertisements were misleading also were cited.

The suspects must appear in Torrance court in December.

Cited on suspicion of contracting without a license and illegal advertising were:

Arturo Correa Corre, 40, of Hawthorne; Art's Construction; painting.

Oscar Morales, 54, of Long Beach; painting.

Jose Piedra, 43, of Gardena; JP Handyman; painting.

Cleto Jaimes Trujillo, 39, of Whittier; Trujillo's Construction Landscaping; masonry.

Francisco Enrique Trujillo, 19, of Whittier; Trujillo's Construction Landscaping; masonry.

Augustin Santos Lopez, 54, of Carson; painting.

Dimas Israel Galindo Garcia, also known as Dimas Israel Galindo, 47, of Norwalk; painting.

Jose Arnulfo Chicas, 41, of Canyon Country; JC Quality Painting; painting.

Jorge Alvarado Garibay, 40, of Long Beach; flooring.

Cited on suspicion of contracting without a license, illegal advertising and soliciting excessive down payments were:

Santiago Salgado-Zepeda, 49, of Long Beach; S.O.S. Painting; painting.

Juan Carlos Cruz Munoz, 28, of Pasadena; Hardwood Flooring Specialists; flooring.

Jose Antonio Garcia Farias, 27, of Anaheim; Antonio's Construction.

Cited on suspicion of contracting without a license was:

Juan Cruz-Laureano, 27, of Compton; Alberto's Construction; flooring.

Sounds like a lot of good Irish names.