A 56-year-old man responded to a request for general contracting work on a home in Manatee County when he became ensnared in a joint sting operation between the Florida Department of Financial Services and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department. The man’s sole employment was through his handyman services and because the operation targeted unlicensed contractors, he was charged with a third-degree felony of failure to obtain worker’s compensation insurance and a misdemeanor charge of being an unlicensed contractor. The man had no prior criminal history and since his only desire was to earn a living, he was obviously troubled by the possibility of serving time in jail for these offenses. Unsure of how to handle the situation, he reached out to attorney Erika Valcarcel for legal guidance.
In an effort to help her client, attorney Valcarcel began negotiations with the county prosecutors. Varcarcel explained that the man had no intent to deceive anyone as an unlicensed contractor and he merely did not know about the requirement to have a license or carry this type of insurance. The prosecutors did, in fact, take this and his previously clean record into account and agreed to a Pretrial Intervention Program (PTI). Upon completion of the PTI diversion program and some community service, the charges against him will be dropped, allowing him to move on and correct the issues that would limit his chosen profession.
View All Blogs
"Erika Valcarcel, Criminal Defense Lawyer, P.A. is the best you will find. Erika Valcarcel is completely honest and straightforward. She took a huge burden off my shoulders many times during difficult periods of my life knowing that she was doing everything that that could and should be done. Her knowledge is extensive and her advice has always been right on the mark. She is worth every penny of the fee she charges. You cannot go wrong securing her services."
Joni A. | Sarasota County
Domestic Violence Charges Dismissed in 10 Days
When a client was arrested for battery after an altercation with his girlfriend, he immediately contacted attorney Erika Valcarcel. The client was adamant that the entire situation was a misunderstanding, but nevertheless he was looking at a domestic violence conviction and potentially up to a year in jail. We acted fast on his behalf and discussed the situation with the State attorney’s office. We informed the prosecutor that our client's girlfriend did not want to proceed and highlighted the weaknesses in their case. Once they were aware of these developments, we successfully arranged to have the charges dismissed. This was all before our client's first court date and impressively all done within 10 days of the initial arrest.
