The Butte County District Attorney’s Office, Paradise Police Department, and California Department of Insurance said on Friday morning in Paradise that a two-day undercover sting operation netted the 12 arrests.

In the operation, investigators from CSLB’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) invited suspected unlicensed contractors to a property overlooking Little Butte Creek.

Investigators say that targets came to the property and gave undercover investigators bids for jobs including fencing, plumbing, concrete and vegetation demolition, and excavation. A total of nine suspects provided bids ranging from $600 to $25,000.

Authorities say that all home improvement jobs from damage totaling $500 or more in combined labor and material costs must be performed by a licensed contractor.

In addition to the nine suspects, authorities say three other suspects may face a charge of illegal advertising.

Licensed contractors must display their license number in all advertisements; unlicensed contractors must state in their ads that they are not licensed.

The penalty includes a fine of $700 to $1,000. The cases will now be turned over to the Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey’s office said,

The sting was the second sting Ramsey said that his office has worked with the SWIFT team.

“We don’t want (survivors) to be taken advantage of by people who are not doing the legal or right thing,” Ramsey said. “There is one man who will be facing punishment way beyond the six months in jail and the $5,000 fine.”

He said that man, who was warned by his wife not to go to the sting and he didn’t listen — lamented a lifetime of “I told you so.”

Homebuilders can go to CSLB’s “Check A License First” to view and verify information on a licensed contractor.

The suspects who were either booked into the Butte County Main Jail or issued citations that are scheduled to appear Friday, March 20 at the Butte County Superior Court

Those who were arrested on Jan. 24 were:

* John David Popejoy of Oroville who was arrested for contracting without a License; Fraudulent use of incorrect license number, illegal advertising, excessive down payment and possession of a controlled substance.

*Charles Robert Forcinio Oroville who was arrested for contracting without a License; and illegal advertising.

* Stacy James Hunter of Magalia who was arrested for contracting without a License; and illegal advertising.

* Dwight Gene Skinner-Howard of Yuba City who was arrested for contracting without a License; and illegal advertising.

* Arnett Blair Baker II of Oroville was arrested for illegal advertising.

*Emmanuel Alvarez Diaz of Olivehurst who was arrested for contracting without a License; and illegal advertising.

*Alejandro Baltazar Garcia of Olivehurst who was arrested for contracting without a License; and illegal advertising.

Those arrested on Jan. 25 were:*Raul Ruiz of Chico who was arrested for contracting without a License.

*Roberto Lopez Casillas of Gridley who was arrested for contracting without a License; and illegal advertising.

*Segundo Odi of Gridley who was arrested for contracting without a license.

*Ignacio Osegura Lua of Marysville was arrested for Contracting Without a License, Illegal Advertising, and No Workers’ Compensation Insurance

* Brian Beitman of Chico who was arrested for contracting without a License; and illegal advertising.