Washington, DC – A 52-year-old District man pleaded guilty in DC Superior Court Thursday to operating a home improvement business without a license and three counts of accepting payments for incomplete home improvement work among other charges, Interim DC Attorney General Peter J. Nickles and DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) Director Linda K. Argo announced.
James Proctor, 52, of the 1400 block of Locust Road, NW, was ordered by DC Superior Court Judge Russell Canan to repay a Northwest couple the $100,000 for services paid for but never completed in 2004 and 2005. In all, Proctor pleaded guilty to three counts of Accepting Payment for a Home Improvement Contract in Advance of Full Completion of Work While Not Licensed as a Home Improvement Contractor, one count of Engaging in a Home Improvement Business Without a Valid License and one count of Operating a Business After Certificate of Authority Has Been Revoked.
Proctor, operating as Signature Galleries, also was sentenced to five years of supervised probations and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service. As part of the plea agreement, Mr. Proctor paid $70,000 to the victims immediately and is ordered to pay the remaining $30,000 in installment payments.
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that this type of activity won’t be tolerated,” Nickles said. “We have very strict laws to protect consumers in the District of Columbia, and we intend to continue enforcing them.”
DCRA Director Linda K. Argo said DCRA and OAG will continue to aggressively investigate all consumer complaints regarding home improvement contractors.
“Illegal contractors are bilking tens of thousands of dollars from District residents for work that either never gets completed or they are not qualified to perform,” Argo said. “There are significant financial and real safety issues.”
Argo said all residents need to carefully scrutinize all contractors before work begins and any payments are made. Important information on tips to avoid scams and how to ensure your contractor is licensed and bonded is available on the DCRA web site at dcra.dc.gov under “Consumer Protection.”