High-priced landscaper jailed

A landscaper accused of charging an 86-year-old Hillsborough man exorbitant costs and leaving him with a $70,000 bill to repair substandard work pleaded no contest yesterday to operating without a valid license.

In return, Edilberto Heredia faces no more than 120 days in jail.

Among the plants Edilberto Heredia, 29, was accused of improperly charging the man was one cherry tree carrying a $3,650 price tag. The plants, from wife Maria Heredia’s nursery, and labor totaled $13,000 and the man in total shelled out $120,000, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

In July 2008, Heredia worked for the victim’s neighbor and was asked to do some minor landscaping work. Heredia did the work but authorities alleged he took an excessive down payment followed by the hefty cost of the labor and plants. An expert from the state Contractors Board later concluded the work was well below the accepted standard and while costing $84,000 would require another $70,000 to repair.

Heredia, 49, changed his plea at a pretrial conference at which other misdemeanor charges against he and his wife were dropped. Heredia returns to court March 3 for a probation report and sentencing.

Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102.