The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 15 unlicensed contractors in a sting operation in Hillsborough County, Florida, with charges pending for an additional five suspects.
A total of 91 suspected unlicensed contractors were investigated in the Sheriff’s Office Construction Fraud Unit’s three-week-long Operation “Bring Down The House.” Deputies contacted the final 20 suspects from websites like Craigslist, Facebook and Yelp.
Many of the suspects offered to complete their work without the required building permits. While this offer may appeal to consumers looking to save time and money, according to the HCSO, it does put homeowners at greater risk of code violations and other costly repair needs.
Several of the unlicensed contractors arrested had been busted in previous stings, including William Moore, Donald Tucker, and Paul Gordon. Their charges have been upgraded to felonies, according to the sheriff’s office, and Tucker has been charged with felony tampering with evidence for ripping up a paper as he was handcuffed.
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