PLANTATION KEY, May 15, 2019 – A Key Largo man has been charged with illegal contracting after allegedly accepting $4,000 from a Tavernier woman for plumbing work even though he isn’t a licensed plumber.
Daniel Zumer, 61, was served with an arrest warrant and booked into jail on May 14 based on an affidavit prepared by State Attorney’s Office Investigator Roy Bogue. Zumer reportedly started performing the plumbing work but abandoned the job in the middle of it.
The probable-cause affidavit says the victim contracted with Zumer on February 17, 2018, to install lateral pipes from her Key Heights Drive house to connect to the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District sewer system. She said Zumer removed some pavers from the ground and dug a hole, exposing the septic tank, then never returned to install the pipes. Zumer told Bogue hip-replacement surgery prevented him from finishing the job.
Officially, Zumer is charged with engaging in the business or acting in the capacity of a contractor or advertising himself or organization as available to engage in the business or act in the capacity of a contractor without being duly registered or certified by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. DBPR Agent Mark Terrill alerted Bogue to Zumer’s activities after investigating.
If convicted, Zumer faces a possible penalty of up to a year in jail and/or a fine up to $1,000.