Santa Maria, California – Phony Landscaper Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison
By admin • Sep 10th, 2009 • Category: NewsDISCLAIMER - Any Charges Reported in these Press Releases are Merely Accusations and the Defendants are Presumed Innocent Unless and Until Proven Guilty.test
Santa Maria – September 9th, 2009
A Santa Maria man who posed as a landscaper while bilking victims out of thousands of dollars is headed to prison for up to eight years.
40-year old Gilbert Lee Martinez (DOB 3/22/69) pled no contest in a Santa Maria courtroom on Tuesday (9/8/09) to several counts of felony theft and one count of felony residential burglary which results in one strike.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Detectives arrested Martinez on July 9, 2009 after authorities in Arcadia, Ca. detained him for trying to cash a forged check. Sheriff’s Detectives had linked Martinez to several cases around Santa Barbara County where he took money up front for tree trimming jobs that he never performed. “He hurt a lot of people, especially the elderly, who are particularly hit hard during tough financial times,” said Sheriff’s Detective Chuck Cooley who arrested Martinez.
When local media reported Martinez’s illegal activities, nearly two dozen victims came forward this past summer, helping Detectives bolster their case. “This is community policing at its finest, in which the community worked together with law enforcement to solve these crimes, said Lieutenant Sol Linver who leads the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Branch. “The media’s message led to more victims coming forward, who helped us build a solid case that ultimately put a serial criminal away.”
Martinez has also been ordered to pay restitution to all the victims who lost approximately $50,000 combined. Martinez still faces similar charges in San Luis Obispo and Riverside Counties.
The Sheriff’s Department reminds citizens that contractors, by law, are not allowed to accept more than 10% up front before doing any work. Also, make sure the contractor is licensed and sufficiently insured. If not, the resident may be liable for any Workers’ Compensation claims.
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