A criminal on the run gets a hired contractor arrested by Kent Police.
Homeowners are encouraged to thoroughly check contractors before hiring them. (Photo: Windermere)
A Hired Contractor’s Past Crimes
A hired contractor who is supposed to remodel a house in Kent, Washington, turned out to be a criminal on the run from Idaho for child crimes. The homeowners discovered that the hired contractor had changed the locks and was squatting in their home with his girlfriend.
When the police arrived, the hired contractor and his girlfriend refused to cooperate, but the officers managed to detain them with the homeowners’ permission. The hired contractor provided a fake name but was identified through his fingerprint as a 45-year-old man who was wanted on a warrant of $500,000 for crimes against a minor.
The hired contractor was arrested and faces extradition to Idaho, along with a charge of first-degree criminal trespass. The hired contractor’s girlfriend was also arrested for first-degree criminal trespass.
According to a published article by Fox News, while searching the home, the police found a “ghost” shotgun and a trailer with a stolen license plate allegedly owned by the hired contractor. Kent Police advise homeowners to thoroughly screen any hired contractor before entrusting them with their property.
Verify Contractor’s Registration
In a published article by The Lewiston Tribune, a fake contractor was arrested after squatting in a home and refusing to let the homeowners enter.
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries has an online tool to verify contractor registration and other important information.
