Arrest warrants issued in ND for out-of-state contractors

North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has obtained arrest warrants for unlicensed contractors Kevin Parkin and Clint Petersen, both of Salt Lake City, Utah. The Burleigh County District Court issued the warrants at Stenehjem’s request after Parkin and Petersen failed to respond to investigators’ formal inquiries about their contracting activity in North Dakota.

According to Stenehjem, his Consumer Protection Division initiated an contractor compliance investigation after learning that neither Kevin Parkin, doing business as Mill Creek Construction and Minute Man Equipment, LLC., nor Clint Petersen, doing business as C.R. Petersen, were licensed when they were working on a Dickinson home construction job site in December 2011, where a worker fatality occurred.

The fatal accident, which occurred when a water and sewer pipe trench caved in, highlighted the risks associated with unlicensed contractor activity.

“It is very important that contractors are properly licensed and that they comply with all North Dakota laws, and particularly the requirements for liability insurance and workforce safety insurance,” Stenehjem said. “These requirements provide protection for both the property owner and injured workers.”

The Consumer Protection Division issued civil investigative demands to these contractors to determine the dates and extent of their illegal activity in North Dakota. Parrell Grossman, director of the Consumer Protection Division, said the office provided Parkin and Petersen many opportunities to answer questions and resolve the violations of North Dakota law.

“Parkin and Petersen’s disregard for North Dakota laws and their lack of cooperation with the attorney general’s office necessitated intervention by the district court,” Grossman said. “It is unusual for offenders in these circumstances to ignore investigative demands for information and, unfortunately, it has resulted in the issuance of warrants for their arrests.”

A third contractor at the site, Edmunds Group, LLC, of Twin Falls, Idaho, cooperated with Stenehjem’s investigators, paid a $2,000 penalty for operating without a license, and agreed not to do business in North Dakota without first complying with all registration and licensing requirements.

Stenehjem reminds contractors that unlicensed contracting is a crime subject to criminal prosecution. He cautions contractors against operating in North Dakota without obtaining a contractor’s license.

Tags: nd news, fatal accident, worker death, news, updates, contractors, fatal