More than 100 people were arrested in a five-day undercover sting operation targeting unlicensed contractors in Pinellas County after Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck just two weeks apart earlier this year.
“These people are simply scammers and thieves and no different than the people at 3 a.m. breaking into a house that we’ve been arresting,” Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gaultieri said at a press conference in late October.
WFTSThe I-Team has been reporting stories exposing bad contractors for years. But we investigated one suspect’s case after learning he spent weeks in jail under a high bond, even though he says he never actually did any work and was not paid.
$150,000 bond for crimes normally considered misdemeanors
In early December, we attended Manuel Lucena-Perez’s third bond hearing since his arrest. It wasn’t the type of hearing a news crew normally attends. The courtroom was empty, and Lucena-Perez was not in handcuffs or leg shackles.