BALTIMORE, MD — Fredy Arellano, 45, from York, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to a felony theft scheme that defrauded construction workers of wages on University of Maryland projects.
Arellano, who worked as the field superintendent for a Baltimore-based construction company, was sentenced to five years in prison with all but 90 days suspended to home detention, followed by three years of supervised probation.
The scheme involved the University of Maryland Capital Region Cancer Center and the University of Maryland Field Hockey and Women’s Lacrosse Complex projects in Prince George’s County. Employers on these projects were legally required to pay workers the prevailing wage and submit certified payroll records.
Investigations by the Office of the Attorney General revealed that Arellano, along with the owner of Congratulations Construction Inc., falsified payroll records and paid workers substantially less than the required prevailing wage by using false employee names and other deceptive methods.
Arellano’s share of the stolen funds totaled $63,157, which he has paid in full restitution before entering his guilty plea.
Jose Walter Marquez Rivera, owner of Congratulations Construction Inc., was sentenced last year in a related case.
