Editors Note: BNB does not usually report on suicides, but because of the circumstances surrounding this incident, along with the number of inquires we received and the follow-up investigation, it is now considered a news type story, we will continue not to report the victims name on our website.
By Stan Lynch
BurbankNBeyond
Reports that the man who committed suicide October 13, in Burbank after being cited in a sting operation aimed at illegal contractors, was being videotaped by a crew from a reality TV show, are untrue according to the state agency conducting the operation.
The California Contractors State Licensing Board’s (CSLB) Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) was conducting a routine sting operation, using a private home in the 200 block of S. Keystone St. on Wednesday and Thursday last week. On Thursday morning, a 47 year-old Simi Valley resident received a misdemeanor citation for contracting without a license, and advertising illegally. According to the Burbank Police Department, he eventually left the location in his truck, and returned about 40 minutes later. He parked in front of the home used for the sting operation, and shot himself in the head at 11:34 a.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Burbank Fire Department paramedics.
On the first day of the operation, portions of it were routinely videotaped by a photographer from the California Department of Consumer Affairs. The photographer was not there on Thursday, and no taping was being done.
According to a CSLB spokesperson, a production company had expressed an interest in doing a show about the agency’s work and stated that the agency is approached occasionally about this. They emphasized that there is no show, and no videotaping was being done. However, they did confirm that the Board was, “…in very early stages of working with a production company on the possible development of a TV show.”
Representatives from the unnamed production company had arrived at the sting site on Keystone St. and were inside the house just a few minutes before the incident happened. They were not present earlier in the day when the victim had been cited by investigators, and no video cameras were there at that time. The production company personal arrived about 11:20am and did bring video cameras with them. No undercover activities took place in the few minutes they were there before the body was discovered and the sting operation was ended. Law enforcement personnel are routinely present during the sting operations, and a California Highway Patrol officer was present at the time of the incident.
The death is currently under investigation by the Burbank Police Department and the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office. Foul play is not suspected. Initial speculation is that the victim may have been despondent after receiving the citation. According to the CSLB, the fines for contracting without a license are up to $5,000 and/or six months in jail. However, they generally range from $200 to $5,000. The fines for advertising illegally can range from $700 to $1,000.
During the two-day sting operation, eight other people were cited, including Albert Ovsepyan, 50, of Burbank. He was cited for contracting without a license, illegal advertising, and soliciting an excessive down payment, and issued a stop order for failure to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Besides the Burbank location, stings were also held in seven others cities (Cameron Park, Los Banos, Madera, Murrieta, Orange, Oroville, and Union City) throughout California and a total of 113 people were cited.
The CSLB, which operates under the California Department of Consumer Affairs, enforces the state’s consumer protections law. According to the board’s Registrar, Steve Sands, “Unlicensed, illegal activity that puts homeowners at risk and puts those who follow state laws at a competitive disadvantage will not be tolerated.”
A state contractor’s license is required for anyone bidding on various home improvement projects that exceed $500 for labor and materials. Contractors are also required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Consumers can check on the license status of contractors on the board’s web site, www.CheckTheLicenseFirst.com.
