Bench warrant issued for unlicensed contractor after he fails to appear in court

Caroline Bleakley
·1 min read

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A bench warrant was issued for Alfred Martin Lagunas Monday morning after he failed to make his initial appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court.

Lagunas is accused of claiming to be a licensed contractor and performing work on an east Las Vegas valley home belonging to Barbara Ojito who cares for her special needs brother. Ojito told the 8 News Now Investigators, that she paid $8,000 to Lagunas to repair her back porch and roof but ended up with shoddy workmanship and an unfinished project.

‘I thought I could trust him:’ Las Vegas woman loses savings to unlicensed contractor

“He took off with the money,” Ojito said, and doubts she will ever get any money back from Lagunas.

<em>Alfred Martin Lagunas faces charges of engaging in business without a contractor license – a gross misdemeanor that carries with it a penalty of one year in prison or a $10,000 fine, according to the Nevada State Contractors Board</em>. (Credit: Barbara Ojito)
Alfred Martin Lagunas faces charges of engaging in business without a contractor license – a gross misdemeanor that carries with it a penalty of one year in prison or a $10,000 fine, according to the Nevada State Contractors Board. (Credit: Barbara Ojito)

Lagunas was summoned to appear in court on a charge of engaging in business without a contractor license which is a gross misdemeanor and carries a penalty of one year in prison or a $10,000 fine, according to Randy Escamilla with the Nevada State Contractors Board.

Court records show that Lagunas is now facing a $10,000 bail after missing his court date. Lagunas faced the same charge in 2014 and was sentenced to 47 hours of community service and paid $585 in fees and restitution to the District Attorney’s Victim Center instead of a fine. He also failed to appear for his arraignment in 2014.

On Monday, the Nevada State Contractor’s Board put Lagunas on Southern Nevada’s most wanted contractors list.

The Nevada State Contractor’s Board advises residents to check if a contractor is licensed. That information can be found on its website.

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