Sting busts unregistered contractors

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - With a bad economy everyone is looking for ways to cut costs, including some contractors who, as the Target 12 Investigators discovered, are cutting corners and putting homeowners at risk.

This year an unprecedented number of contractors are working without registrations and without insurance, according to the executive director of the Rhode Island Contractors' Registration Board.

"We're seeing a lot more of this unfortunately," George Whalen said. "The fact of the matter is, the economy is so bad that people do things and don't think about what the consequences could be."

Whalen said this puts homeowners at risk because if the contractor a homeowner hires doesn't have insurance and he falls off a ladder, it's the homeowner's insurance that has to pay up and that could amount to a lot of money.

However, the state said it is going after offenders.

In a recent sting, four unregistered contractors were contacted by a state inspector, posing as a homeowner. Each of them were asked to come bid on a job and all four took the bait, including contractor Alvin Morris Williams.

The licensing board considers Williams one of their worst offenders.

"I can say that there were multiple code violations and infractions against our standards and that matter will be pursued at the administrative hearing," Whalen said.

Homeowner S. Hurst said she gave Williams more than $90,000 in December 2007 to fix her retaining wall. However, nearly two years later, the work is incomplete and, according to state inspectors, unsafe.

However, when the inspector asked Williams about the repairs at the Hurst's house, Williams said he didn't know Hurst.

"He's been over, I don't know how many times, working on my house," Hurst said.

When approached by the Target 12 Investigators, Williams claimed he was actually a car dealer who showed up at the sting to cut the lawn.

Williams: "I'm a dealer and what I do here is cut lawns."

Susan Hogan: "Alvin, they got you."

Williams: "How did they get me? I came here to do landscaping!"

Susan hogan: "You came here to do cabinetry work!"

The sting also nabbed Reggie Felder and Greg Meadows. Both men are unregistered contractors who came to bid on a job.

George Anthony Nunes was also caught up in the sting. Inspectors said he listed someone else's registration number on his advertisements; an offense that carries up to $5,000 in fines.

Nunes has no violations against him, but he did let his registration expire in 2007. After the sting, he did re-register and currently has a valid contractor's registration.

According to the Contractors' Registration Board, Reggie Felder is appealing his violation, and both Greg Meadows and Alvin Morris Williams still have a couple of more weeks to either pay their fines or appeal the decision.

To check on a contractor's background before you hand over your hand-earned cash click here. For a list of all Rhode Island contractors who have had their registration suspended or revoked, click here.