More than 100 people were arrested in a five-day undercover sting operation targeting unlicensed contractors in Pinellas County after Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck just two weeks apart earlier this year.These people are simply scammers and thieves and no different than the people at 3 a.m. breaking into a house that weve been arresting, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gaultieri said at a press conference in late October. The I-Team has been reporting stories exposing bad contractors for years. But we investigated one suspects case after learning he spent weeks in jail under a high bond, even though he says he never actually did any work and was not paid.$150,000 bond for crimes normally considered misdemeanorsIn early December, we attended Manuel Lucena-Perez's third bond hearing since his arrest. It wasnt the type of hearing a news crew normally attends. The courtroom was empty, and Lucena-Perez was not in handcuffs or leg shackles.The crime he is accused of committing, unlicensed contracting, is normally a misdemeanor in Florida. But since Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency following the hurricanes, the charges were upgraded to third-degree felonies.Legally, a bond is a payment made by someone accused of a crime, their family, or a bail bondsman as collateral to guarantee their appearance in court. It is not intended to be a punishment.At the time of the hearing we attended, Lucena-Perez had been in the Pinellas County Jail for 42 days under a $150,000 bond. The Florida Supreme Court has a uniform bond schedule that applies to all counties, but judges have the discretion to increase or decrease bond amounts at first appearances and bond hearings.The amount given to Lucena-Perez is an amount normally reserved for crimes punishable by life in prison, like kidnapping a child under 13, human trafficking of minors, or armed carjacking.Most of the defendants that were arrested on this charge had $5,000 bonds set. Most of them bonded out before first appearance, Assistant State Attorney Rene Bauer told the judge during the hearing.He's been in for over 40 days now because of an unreasonable bond, said attorney Maria Rodriguez, who represents Lucena-Perez.More than 100 suspects arrested in sting operationIt started with a round-up of suspected criminals in hurricane-ravaged Madeira Beach called Operation Flood of Fraud.Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, flanked by posters filled with mugshots, briefed the media as deputies walked suspects behind him. Right now its 63 arrests on 93 different charges is the total so far as of the last hour, Gualtieri said.Another press conference followed two weeks later in Clearwater.Our current focus is on protecting our residents and our businesses who are desperate to rebuild and get on with their lives from being exploited and ripped off by people offering to do work on their property, Gualtieri said.The number of suspects arrested would eventually reach more than 100.Lucena-Perez was booked into custody on October 24th. His criminal complaint says he contracted to replace drywall and electrical outlets for a total of $1,000.In a phone conversation from jail translated by attorney Haydee Oroposa, Lucena-Perez told us he didnt do any work and was not paid.He didnt know that by going out trying to work and help people, that he was going to suffer these consequences, Oroposa translated.We've had teams of undercover detectives at various locations visited by people who held themselves as licensed contractors, Gualtieri said at the first press conference.Lucena-Perez is legally able to work in the United States because he was given Temporary Protected Status and issued a work permit.He was working for a roofing company, putting a new roof on a Madiera Beach home, when his co-worker, Juan Carlo Gomez, said undercover officers approached Lucena-Perez.Gomez said he saw Lucena-Perez leave with them, but he never returned to the job site.Bond raised at hearingAfter 5 days, I was trying to look for him. I hadnt seen him, Gomez said.By that time, Lucena-Perez had already had a bond hearing before Judge Elizabeth Zuroweste. In a recording of the bond hearing, Zuroweste asked the prosecutor if Lucena-Perez had a prior criminal history. No history your honor. This was during a state of emergency though, she responded.Just like the other gentlemen at this location, youre on $75,000 each," Judge Zuroweste said. You may not go back to Madiera Beach while this case is pending. Good luck to you, sir.The first appearance judge raised the bond from $5,000 to $75,000 without stating any reason for doing so and without going through whats necessary to go through pursuant to the rules and the statutes, Rodriguez said.Defendants with prior criminal histories released on lower bondsOf the three judges who heard cases following the sting, only Judge Zuroweste raised bonds. In five cases, she increased bonds to $25,000 per count, and in five other cases, she increased the amount to $75,000 per count.That was the case with Lucena-Perez.Defendants who appeared before other judges, even some with prior criminal histories, had their bonds reduced. That included Todd Gerst, who Sheriff Gualtieri discussed at the press conference.His criminal arrest record involves crimes of theft, fraud, probation violation, forgery, illegal use of credit cards, selling counterfeit goods, organized scheme to defraud, burglary, dealing in stolen property, false verification of ownership of property, and aggravated stalking, Gualtieri said.Gerst spent only three days behind bars before being released on a $5,000 bond.Another suspect was Shea Ganisin.He has previously been arrested for burglary of a home, dealing in stolen property, and resisting arrest, Gualtieri said.Ganisin spent only two days in custody before he was released on a $1,000 bond for each count.He may have come down here to rip people offLucena-Perez, who is married and has children, is from Venezuela. Thats where his family still resides.Hes alone here. He doesnt have any money, Gomez said.I have my work permit, and I have my Social Security, Lucena-Perez said in the call from jail.His appointed public defender didnt know that he had Temporary Protected Status and employment authorization allowing him to legally work in the United States.It appears he may have come down here to rip people off or engage in illegal activity... that being unlicensed contracting. In addition, he is a potential illegal alien, the prosecutor said at the hearing.According to Lucena-Perez, the assistant public defender appointed to represent him never visited him with a translator, so he didnt know Lucena-Perez had work authorization. I didnt know what to think. I wasnt really understanding anything, even though there was a translator there, Lucena-Perez said in the phone interview.When you go to a bond hearing, make sure that you ask your client if theyre here legally; if theyre here protected status or not, Rodriguez said.Juan Carlo Gomez scraped together some money and hired private attorney Maria Rodriguez to represent his friend.I did this at a greatly reduced rate because I really felt for him. I felt bad for him, Rodriguez said.She filed a motion arguing Judge Zuroweste violated the Florida and U.S. Constitutions by setting such a high bond.We contacted Judge Zuroweste, who declined to comment through a court spokesperson. The Pinellas County Public Defenders office also declined to comment, saying they couldnt discuss the case since Lucena-Perez now has a private attorney. Judge Pat Siracusa set a new bond at the last hearing.Sir, I'm going to set your bond at $5,000 on each, Judge Siracusa said.Hell have a pretrial hearing in January.Keeping Lucena-Perez in the Pinellas County Jail costs taxpayers about $125 a day.