News headline from the San Bernardino County District Attorney?s Office:
A Fontana man has been charged with one count of conducting business as an uninsured employer.
In December 2011, members of the San Bernardino County District Attorney?s Office, Workers? Compensation Fraud Prosecution Unit, along with the Contractors State License Board, conducted compliance checks of contractors working in the Rancho Cucamonga area.? During the compliance check, Francisco Barajas-Castellanos, 30, of Fontana, and an employee were observed preparing the interior of a residence for painting.
According to Senior Investigator Steve Rivera, Barajas admitted that he was the contractor and business owner and that the employee was his employee.? Barajas further admitted not having workers? compensation insurance to protect his employee.
?Unfortunately, the problem here is that these unlicensed contractors can under-bid jobs, thereby having unfair advantage to those contractors who are licensed and have insurance,? said Rivera.
On March 15, Barajas was arrested at his residence after a warrant for his arrest was issued charging him with Failure to Secure Workers? Compensation Insurance.? He was transported and booked into the West Valley Detention Center and his bail was set at $10,000.
What a lot of homeowners don?t realize is that if a contractor does not have workers? compensation insurance, any injuries that occur on the homeowner?s property have now become the liability of that homeowner.
?If convicted, Barajas faces one year of prison time to be served in county jail and a fine starting at $10,000.? This case will be prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Michael Chiriatti.
Filed under Headline
Friday, March 16, 2012
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