On October 1, 2007, Craig Rini pled guilty in Glassboro N.J. municipal court to violating the NJ Plumbing Law.

Craig Rini is the owner of Phoenix Heating and Air Conditioning and was charged for advertising plumbing on the side of his work trucks. Phoenix Heating and Air Conditioning trucks were seen in Glassboro with the words Plumbing License Number 7943 printed on the side. The plumbing license number was found to belong to NJ Master Plumber Dan Penny.

A complaint was signed by Gary Devine, Chairman of the Gloucester and Salem County Master Plumbers Enforcement Committee. On hand for the trial was the holder of the license Dan Penny. When Judge Powell called Mr. Penny to testify he stated that at one time he was affiliated with Phoenix Heating and Air Conditioning but now he has his own plumbing company. He testified that he properly changed his trade name with the State of New Jersey about four years ago and instructed Mr. Rini to remove his license number from his trucks.

When asked by the Judge... "Why didn't you remove Mr. Penny’s plumbing license number and the word plumbing from the trucks?"

Mr. Rini said... “Your honor I never had time to get to it”

When Judge Powell asked the Prosecutor for his recommendation the Prosecutor said he had spoken with Mr. Devine as to what the committee thought was a fair penalty. According to the committee  this was a second offence for Mr. Rini, it appears he was convicted of violating the plumbing law in 1996 and issued a plumbing restraining order by the honorable Judge John Strazzullo of Pennsauken. The Judge looked over at Mr. Devine and asked what is your recommendation?

Mr. Devine said... “Your honor because this is the defendant's second time pleading guilty and that he violated Judge Strazzullo's plumbing restraining order, our committee asks for $2,500.00 fine and ten hours of community service.   -  We do not want him to spend time in jail”.

Judge Powell ordered a two thousand five hundred dollar fine, ten hours of community service, seventy five dollars in safe neighborhood compensation, fifty dollars in violent crimes compensation and thirty two dollars in court cost.

Mike Heller
Editor
www.MyNJPlumber.com

Note: This article was written based on information supplied by the Gloucester and Salem County Master Plumbers Associations Enforcement Committee.