Press Release
Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford announced the following information:
On Thursday, January 10, 2019, the Construction Fraud Task Force conducted another sting operation in Marianna and arrested three individuals when they arrived at a damaged home and gave the homeowner estimates to replace the roof. Contracting without a License is a third degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The members of the Construction Fraud Task Force participating in today’s operation included officers from the State Attorney’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and the Bureau of Insurance Fraud. The Task Force was formed in November to deter unlicensed contractors from committing fraud and grand theft on unsuspecting homeowners. Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford said, “We know from past recovery efforts, that unlicensed contractors either took homeowners’ money and ran or took their money and provided substandard work that would not pass building inspections. The goal of our Task Force is to protect our neighbors from being victimized again.” To date, over thirty individuals have been arrested for Contracting without a License in Bay, Gulf, and Jackson Counties. If you have been the victim of contractor fraud, contact the State Attorney’s office at 850-872-4473 or your local Sheriff’s Office.
If you have any questions or need additional information, contact our office at 850-872-4473.