Nine contractors arrested in ‘Operation Unhandyman’ sting
By Jessica De Leon, The Bradenton Herald | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
"Operation Unhandyman" sought unlicensed contractors working without required worker's compensation insurance or insurance exemptions.
Arrested suspects face either a felony charge for operating without workers' compensation insurance or a first-degree misdemeanor for operating without a contractor's license.
"Fortunately, all the arrests were made without in
cident," a
"You have to do this to protect the consumer. If not there are all sorts of consequences," Bristow said. "The license protects the consumer. You are not protected otherwise."
This is a problem in
"It's out there, a lot of it," Bristow said. "This sort of thing happens everywhere."
Investigators with DIF and the
Suspected unlicensed contractors were called to a home in
The exchanges were handled by detectives from DIF and MCSO. Conversations were recorded. Once detectives secured a quote from an unlicensed suspect, an arrest was made.
The DIF conducts similar operations throughout the state every couple of months in a different county, however, a multi-agency operation targeting unlicensed contractors and those operating without workers' compensation insurance has never been conducted in
The State Attorney's Office White Collar Crime Division participated to show the community its commitment to provide law enforcement with support needed to investigate and prosecute these crimes, according to Assistant State Attorney
"It was a joint effort," a DIF official said. "Everybody working together made this as successful as it was."
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