Five Uninsured, Unlicensed Contractors Arrested in South Lake Tahoe

California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner announced the results of the first undercover operation stemming from the Angora Fire in South Lake Tahoe. The operation took place at a residence in the disaster area that was damaged by fire, but not destroyed.

On July 4, the California Department of Insurance’s Enforcement Branch partnered with investigators from the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office and the California Contractors State License Board to identify unlicensed public adjusters as well as unlicensed and uninsured contractors. The operation resulted in five arrests. The El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the cases.

None of those arrested possessed either a city/county business license (a misdemeanor) or a contractor’s license (a misdemeanor enhanced to a felony since it occurred in a disaster area). Furthermore, two arrestees did not have workers’ compensation insurance, a misdemeanor. Suspects arrested were:

• Steve Killion of Marysville, Calif., co-owner of Rossier Home Restoration;
• Kurt Edward Kimm of Placerville, Calif., owner of Kurt Kim Trucking and Equipment;
• Troy Meadows of Gardnerville, Nev., co-owner of B&T Services;
• Chase Rossier of Yuba City, Calif., co-owner of Rossier Home Restoration; and
• William Tanner of Gardnerville, Nev., co-owner of B&T Services.

In recent days, investigators have also been providing residents of the disaster area with tips on spotting and reporting unlicensed and/or uninsured contractors and public adjusters. Furthermore, the investigators have been sweeping the disaster area to verify the license and insurance status of persons identifying themselves as public adjusters or contractors, CDI said.

Source: CDI