Unlicensed Builder Convicted
Last week, we exposed Brandon Toth, who billed himself as a builder. We discovered that he is not licensed to build homes, which has left families out thousands of dollars. Many of them have only a foundation for their homes. Eyewitness News cameras caught Toth building homes, despite three stop-work notices. That is a crime, and a Wake County judge convicted Toth on Monday. He was fined $500 plus court costs. Toth was sentenced to 45 days in jail, which was suspended, and 12 months of supervised probation.
Unlicensed Builder Convicted
By Diane Wilson
(11/20/06 -- RALEIGH) - Eyewitness News has new developments in a Troubleshooter investigation.
Last week, we exposed Brandon Toth, who billed himself as a builder. We discovered that he is not licensed to build homes, which has left families out thousands of dollars. Many of them have only a foundation for their homes.
Eyewitness News cameras caught Toth building homes, despite three stop-work notices. That is a crime, and a Wake County judge convicted Toth on Monday. He was fined $500 plus court costs. Toth was sentenced to 45 days in jail, which was suspended, and 12 months of supervised probation.
County prosecutors say the crime is unusual, and they do not remember the last time someone has been charged with violating a stop-work notice.
Eyewitness News confronted Toth in September about the three notices. He told us that he only knew about the first one. In court Monday, his attorney blamed it on a general contractor pulling off the permits and said Toth is trying to work out the problems.
"He's been trying to rectify the situation of whatever happened in the past," Toath's attorney said. "He's also working with some of those families."
As part of the sentence, the judge ordered Toth not represent himself as a general contractor. He can still work, but only under the direct supervision of a general contractor who is licensed.
Toth did not want to comment after being convicted Monday.
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=triangle&id=4780856
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