Outstanding Warrants, ‘Serious’ Violations By NJ Contractors, Authorities Say

MANCHESTER, NJ — Six Ocean County contractors have been charged with violating state laws governing construction companies following an investigation in Manchester in November, authorities said.

The contractors, charged in Manchester Township Municipal Court, had histories of unpaid fines, legal actions and in some cases outstanding arrest warrants, according to a news release from the Ocean County Board of Commissioners.

The contractors cited were Guru Waterproofing LLC from Manahawkin; BN Construction Co. from Brick; Zack of All Trades from Little Egg Harbor; B and J Asphalt from Toms River; Best Black Top from Toms River and Frogmen Construction from Bayville, the release said.

One of the contractors was among 18 who were fined for being unregistered in a sting, the state Attorney General's office said earlier in December. Read more: Unregistered Ocean Co. Contractors Targeted In Sting Operation

Frogmen Construction was facing charges at both the county and state levels, the statement said.

The investigation from Nov. 5-13, called Operation This Old House, was led by Senior Investigator Anthony Fontana and Investigator Andrew Chenacharick at a covert location in Manchester Township in coordination with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.

Among the charges filed in Manchester Township municipal court were failure to obtain permits, failure to provide written descriptions of the work on contracts, failure to put changes to the contract in writing, fraudulently making home improvements and being an unregistered contractor. Some of the contractors charged have charges pending in other towns in addition to the Manchester cases, according to online court records.

County officials did not specify which contractors had arrest warrants.

“These violations are not minor oversights, they represent serious breaches of trust and responsibility,” Chenacharick said.

County officials said the investigation also found that three randomly selected contractors "were fully compliant, highlighting the integrity of many hardworking professionals in the industry."

“This operation sends a clear message that Ocean County will not tolerate contractors who exploit our residents and ignore the law,” Fontana said.

The Department of Consumer Affairs is seeking fines exceeding $250,000 and the cases have also been referred to the state Department of the Treasury and Division of Taxation for further review, county officials said.

“The Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs takes proactive steps to protect our residents and ensure they can hire contractors with confidence,” Commissioner Robert S. Arace said. “These enforcement efforts also safeguard honest businesses from being undermined by those who break the rules.”

Homeowners seeking to hire contractors should check whether they are licensed with the state through an online search on the Department of the Treasury website.