Estrada Luis F, Making False Statements to OSHA, Connecticut 2021

Luis F Estrada, a 48-year-old Bridgeport contractor, has been sentenced to three years of probation and 250 hours of community service for making false statements to Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Estrada, the owner of L.L.E. Construction, LLC, was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and the OSHA Criminal Investigations Team, Region 1, for lying about his involvement in a construction project at a property on Main Street in Bridgeport. In February and March 2018, Estrada was paid $11,000 for performing roof repairs and other construction services at the site.

On March 1, 2018, an OSHA compliance officer visited the property and observed what he believed to be various safety infractions by construction workers. Estrada spoke to the compliance officer by mobile phone at the time, but claimed he did not do any work on the project. He later hand-delivered a written response to OSHA officials stating that he did not work on the project and did not have any documents related to it.

However, Estrada’s claims were later found to be false. He pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to the U.S. Department of Labor on March 3, 2021, admitting that he lied in his written statements and in a deposition convened as part of the OSHA investigation.

Estrada’s sentence includes three years of probation, with the first six months to be served in home confinement. He must also perform 250 hours of community service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret M. Donovan.

The investigation into Estrada’s actions was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and the OSHA Criminal Investigations Team, Region 1.

Estrada’s case serves as a reminder of the importance of honesty and transparency in the construction industry. As a contractor, Estrada had a responsibility to provide accurate information to OSHA officials, and his failure to do so put workers at risk of injury or death.

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