Crime Voice Staff Report
AUBURN — Repeat offender Jeffrey Lyn Scott has been arrested again for contracting without a license – this time in a disaster area.
Scott, 48, was nabbed Tuesday during an undercover sting operation by the Contractors State License Board during a sweep of the 49 Fire area in Auburn.
Scott, operating under the name of Jeff Scott Landscape Services, was caught doing a $3,300 job to rebuild a fence and to landscape a yard destroyed in the Aug. 30 wildfire.
The blaze that destroyed 63 homes, two commercial structures, 24 outbuildings, 13 trailers and more than 60 vehicles was intentionally started, according to Cal Fire officials.
“The California State Licensing Board is serious about rooting out those who might potentially scam fire victims with fraudulent home repair schemes,” said CSLB registrar Steve Sands. “Our posting of signs following natural disasters and proactive sweeps during the recovery efforts have helped cut the number of consumer fraud complaints following such events.”
Sweeps are typically conducted following disasters where homes and/or businesses have been destroyed or damaged as part of the agency’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team’s efforts to crack down on the underground economy.
At the time of his arrest, Scott was serving three years probation after pleading no contest to contracting without a license during a sting in Yolo County in Sept. 2006. He served 10 days in jail. In addition, Scott paid a $1,500 administrative citation in 2007 for a similar crime.
The Placer County District Attorney’s Office will review the case and consider prosecuting.
“Our office must protect against further victimization of those citizens who lost homes or sustained damage,” said Assistant District Attorney Scott Owens. “This includes prosecution of unlicensed contractors who prey upon the unwary.”
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