Santa Rosa landscaper arrested for contracting without a license

A Santa Rosa man was arrested Friday, accused of taking more than $26,500 from customers for abandoned and minimally completed landscaping jobs, the Contractors State License Board said in a news release.

Tony Van Dang, 30, was operating as an unlicensed contractor, posting ads on Craigslist for landscaping services under company names including “The Perfect Yard” and “The Best of the West Landscapes,” the release said.

Home improvement jobs totaling $500 or more must be completed by a contractor certified by the state.

Dang was previously arrested on suspicion of contracting without a license and illegal advertising in a St. Helena sting conducted by the board, the release said.

He was arrested Friday after an undercover board investigator responded to an advertisement for Dang’s company, “The Perfect Yard,” and arranged an appointment to meet him at a local hardware store, the release said. When Dang arrived, he was arrested and taken to Sonoma County Jail with assistance from the Santa Rosa Police Department.

Potential victims of Dang’s services are asked to contact board investigator Amanda Martinez at amanda.martinez@cslb.ca.gov or 510-540-2024.

You can reach Staff Writer Christi Warren at 707-521-5205 or christi.warren@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @SeaWarren.