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Artemio Fuerte, a resident of New Rochelle and the owner of Fuerte Construction LLC, was sentenced on Wednesday, July 31 to three years of probation and a $12,000 fine. This ruling came after he failed to pay over $31,500 to eight workers he employed between 2020 and 2023.
The announcement was made by the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.
According to the DA's Office, the Economic Crimes Bureau began investigating Fuerte and his business in 2022 after his employees filed complaints about not being paid.
Fuerte was eventually arrested on May 23, 2022, for failing to pay four workers $21,150 between December 2020 and November 2021.
He was arrested a second time in October 2022 for failing to pay two more workers a total of $2,370 between March and August 2022.
He was also arrested a third time on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, for not paying an additional two workers a total of $8,063 between November 2022 and February 2023, officials said.
Fuerte later pleaded guilty to six counts of failure to pay wages on Wednesday, May 1, and again on Friday, June 7, to two more counts.
His sentence includes a $1,500 fine on each of the eight counts, totaling $12,000. According to the DA's Office, this fine will be paid through his probation, which will run concurrently on all three of his cases.
Additionally, before his sentencing, Fuerte paid the eight victims, whom he employed as painters, carpenters, and laborers, full restitution of $31,583.
"Not paying workers for months on end is a crime and not a business model," said Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah, who added, "We will continue to hold employers who commit wage theft accountable, and that includes securing from them the full amount of back pay owed to workers."
Any other victims or witnesses of wage theft and labor fraud can file a complaint with the DA's Office at 914-995-TIPS (8477) or by clicking here.
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