Man Accused of Being Unlicensed Contractor

A city man was arrested by warrant Sunday, accused of offering to make home repairs without being registered with the state.

According to police spokeswoman Sgt. Lisa Cotto, the investigation began Oct. 8 when a Bouton Street woman contacted police about uncompleted construction in the basement and on the first floor of her home.

The woman told officers she had met the man at Home Depot passing out business cards for Handyman Services, Cotto said. She said she established a verbal contract with him to perform work for $2,000, and at some point he refused to return to complete the job.

Officers reported they observed newly installed drywall in the woman’s home.

Police contacted the man, later identified as Michael Roman, and he confirmed he had done work for her.

Roman allegedly told officers he was a handyman, not a home improvement contractor, and the woman kept asking him to do additional work. He allegedly said they had a verbal agreement for him to do the work and she had paid him $2,500 in increments.

Police contacted the state Dept. of Consumer Affairs and determined Roman did hold a certificate to make home improvements, Cotto said.

Roman, 55, of 1 Birchside Dr., was charged with offering to make home repairs without being registered with the state.

Under state statute, the Commissioner of Consumer Affairs may impose a civil penalty of up to $500 on a first offense of working as a home improvement contractor without having obtained a certificate of registration from his department.

Roman was released on a promise to appear in court Nov. 23.