Election Section

Fremont couple faces 22 fraud charges

Thursday October 10, 2002

FREMONT – The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office announced today that a Fremont couple has been charged with 22 felony counts in connection with an allegedly fraudulent contracting company they owned and operated. 

Prosecutors say 59-year-old James Bray, also known as James Graves, and 56-year-old Martha Ortiz, also known as Martha Bray, are facing charges including grand theft, illegally using another's contractor license, worker's compensation insurance fraud, tax fraud and money laundering. 

According to the district attorney's office, the couple owned and operated a roofing company called Roofing Unlimited in Santa Clara County from 1997 to 1999. During that time, their company was allegedly operating under a fraudulently obtained contractor's license number while doing business. 

The alleged fraud came to light when roofing customers experienced leaks in their roofs, but were unable to contact or locate Roofing Unlimited to have repairs performed under the 10-year warranty provided by the defendants.