8 Contractors Charged with Failing to Comply with CRLB Order Over Substandard and Unfinished Construction Work
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that four contractors are facing felony charges and four more are facing misdemeanor charges in Providence District Court for failing to comply with a final order from the Contractor’s Registration and Licensing Board (CRLB). In total, the contractors have failed to pay $115,715.26 in restitution to homeowners.
The eight contractors are charged with violating an order by the CRLB stemming from either having not performed contracted work or having performed substandard work on residential home improvement and construction projects throughout the state.
Investigators from the Office of the Attorney General served three arrest warrants on Tuesday to contractors who are charged with felony counts of violating a CRLB order. Three of the contractors were arraigned on Tuesday in Sixth Division District Court. An arrest warrant has been issued for a fourth contractor who resides in Connecticut.
Three contractors were arraigned in Sixth Division District Court on October 15, 2020 and charged with misdemeanor counts of violating a CRLB order. One additional contractor facing a misdemeanor count of violating a CRLB order is scheduled to be arraigned on November 13, 2020 in Sixth Division District Court.
“The defendants’ conduct has left Rhode Islanders out thousands of dollars with unfinished or substandard home repairs or improvement projects,” said Attorney General Neronha. “They were given multiple opportunities to make it right, yet did nothing. Their failure to act has brought us to where we are today. My Office will take whatever actions necessary to hold these individuals and others who engage in similar conduct accountable and pursue restitution for homeowners.”
All contractors in the state are required to register with the CRLB, which is part of the Department of Business Regulation (DBR) and is the agency charged with regulating contractors. Members of the public may file a claim against contractors with the CRLB with allegations such as substandard or unfinished work by a contractor.
The CRLB then determines whether the contractor is properly licensed and whether the contractor performed work according to industry standards. The CRLB would then issue a final order against a contractor only after every effort is made to reach a resolution between the contractor and the complainant.
Failure to comply with a final order of the CRLB can be prosecuted as a felony in Rhode Island if the amount of the monetary judgement combined with any CRLB fine is over $5,000. Cases involving monetary judgments less than $5,000 constitute misdemeanors.
“It is important to remember that all homeowners must do their due diligence before hiring a contractor to ensure they are registered, insured and have a proven track record of doing good work,” said Elizabeth M. Tanner, Esq. Director of the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation. “Thanks to the continued close cooperation between the DBR and the AG’s office, the state is able to help protect Rhode Island’s homeowners from contractors who fail to meet the standards set by the industry.”
The following defendants were each arraigned on October 20, 2020 and charged with one felony count of failure to comply with a final order of the Rhode Island Contractor’s Registration and Licensing Board:
- A. Morris Williams (age 61), of Central Falls. Williams is the owner of Morry Remediation Solutions and was ordered by the CRLB on May 8, 2018 to pay $82,550 in restitution to a homeowner who paid Williams to complete demolition and mold remediation at a home in Pawtucket. The CRLB found that Williams did not complete the work as contracted and that the work he did complete was substandard.
- Michael Jodoin (age 46), of Cranston. Jodoin is the owner of Green and Gray LLC and was ordered by the CRLB on February 12, 2020 to pay $11,880.25 in restitution to a homeowner who paid Jodoin to install paving stones around a pool at a home in Warwick. The CRLB found that Jodoin failed to pay a subcontractor as part of the project, resulting in the subcontractor filing a lien on the homeowner’s property.
- Jeffrey Chevette (age 38), of Woonsocket. Chevette is the owner of JG Construction and was ordered by the CRLB on October 31, 2018 to pay $8,015.95 in restitution to a homeowner who paid Chevette to complete miscellaneous interior repairs at a home in Pawtucket. The CRLB found that Chevette did not complete the work as contracted and that the work he did complete was substandard.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Roger Boisvert (age 53), of Thompson, Connecticut. Boisvert is the owner of Man Around the House and was ordered by the CRLB on March 25, 2019 to pay $6,000 in restitution to a homeowner who paid Boisvert to remodel the interior of several rooms at a home in North Kingstown. The CRLB found that Boisvert did not complete the work as contracted and that the work he did complete was substandard.
The following defendants were arraigned on October 15, and charged with one misdemeanor count of failure to comply with a final order of the RI Contractors Registration and Licensing Board:
- Mark St. Angelo (age 55), of Smithfield. St. Angelo is the owner of St. Angelo Construction and was ordered by the CRLB on November 13, 2019 to pay $1,500 in restitution to a homeowner who paid St. Angelo to remodel a bathroom at a home in Smithfield. The CRLB found that St. Angelo did not complete the work as contracted and abandoned the job after demolishing the bathroom.
- Karl Hanson (age 56), of Woonsocket. Hanson is the owner of Hanson Home Improvements and was ordered by the CRLB on October 30, 2018 to pay $1,915.26 in restitution to a homeowner who paid Hanson to complete miscellaneous interior repairs at a home in Smithfield. The CRLB found that Hanson did not complete the work as contracted and that the work he did complete was substandard.
- Russell Strickland (age 50), of West Warwick. Strickland is the owner of Independent Paving and was ordered by the CRLB on May 15, 2019 to pay $3,300 in restitution to a homeowner who paid Strickland to remove and replace asphalt driveways at a home in North Providence. The CRLB found that Strickland completed the work in a manner that was substandard. Strickland was also charged with one misdemeanor count of failure to register with the CRLB, as is required by state law.
The following defendant is charged with one misdemeanor count of failure to comply with a final order of the RI Contractors Registration and Licensing Board and failed to appear for his arraignment on October 15.
- Paul Badeau (age 52) of Providence. Badeau is the owner of Northeast Construction company and was ordered by the CRLB on November 26, 2018 to pay $1,000 in restitution to a homeowner who paid Badeau to complete the removal and replacement of siding at a home in Lincoln. The CRLB found that Badeau did not complete the work as contracted and that the work he did complete was substandard.
The defendant is scheduled to be arraigned in Sixth Division District Court on November 13, 2020.
“The Office’s investigative team did great work on these cases in partnership with the DBR,” said Attorney General Neronha. “Like any business in our state, contractors need to play by the rules. When they don't, we will take action on behalf of Rhode Island consumers.”
Assistant Attorney General Meghan McDonough and Investigator John Rabbitt investigated and prosecuted the cases on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General. The cases were referred to the Office of the Attorney General by the Department of Business Regulation.