APALACHIN, N.Y. (WETM) – Two Tioga County men have been arrested and are facing multiple felony charges for allegedly failing to provide safe working conditions to their construction workers.

Robert Peretore, 37, and Jeremy Hall, 41, have both been arrested by New York State Police and arraigned in Owego, according to New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. The charges stem from an investigation by the Office of the Workers’ Compensation Fraud Inspector General.

According to the investigation, Peretore and Hall operated under the business name T&R Contracting Services, LLC and submitted building permits to the Town of Owego between October 2020 and April 2021 for the construction of a storage shed, repair of a collapsed barn, and installation of a roof and siding on a house. The Inspector General said that Peretore and Hall claimed they did not need to get workers’ compensation insurance because they had no employees.

However, Peretore and Hall allegedly did employ more than five workers for the projects and failed to obtain workers’ compensation. Under NYS Law, all contractors must have compensation insurance if they have more than five employees, according to the Inspector General.

Peretore was charged with two counts of 1st-degree Offering a False Instrument for Filing, two counts of Fraudulent Practices, and one count of Failure to Secure Compensation. Hall was charged with one count of 1st-degree Offering to a False Instrument for Filing, one count of Fraudulent Practices and one count of Failure to Secure Compensation.

“Business owners must provide legally required workers’ compensation insurance for their workers, or they will be held accountable,” said Inspector General Lang.  “Putting workers at risk to save a buck is unacceptable in New York State.”