The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office has filed two counts of workers’ compensation insurance fraud against roofing subcontractor Brian Alanis Ramos in connection with an ongoing investigation tied to a large public housing roofing project at McDonough Homes in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The McDonough Homes project, managed by the St. Paul Public Housing Agency, involved a major roof replacement contract valued at more than $1.5 million. Magnuson Construction hired Bayvista, a company owned by Jose Herrera, to provide labor for roofing and gutter work under a subcontract reportedly worth more than $500,000. Because the project was publicly funded, contractors and subcontractors were required to pay prevailing wages under Minnesota law.
The new charges against Ramos follow earlier felony charges filed in September 2025 against Jose Herrera, Carrie Gutbrod-Herrera, and Joseph Herrera. Prosecutors alleged the group engaged in wage theft, tax evasion, and workers’ compensation insurance fraud connected to the same public housing roofing project. Jose Herrera was charged with multiple felony counts involving wage theft, tax evasion, and insurance fraud, while his wife and son also faced felony tax evasion charges.
According to prosecutors, after Bayvista’s involvement in the project ended, Magnuson Construction hired a second subcontractor, Limanis Remodeling & Exteriors, to complete phase two of the roofing work. Ramos was identified as the sole owner and operator of the company.
Investigators allege Ramos secured workers’ compensation insurance through Minnesota’s Assigned Risk Plan with coverage running from February 7, 2025 through February 7, 2026. The policy, issued by Old Republic, allegedly carried an initial premium payment of just $501 after Ramos reportedly claimed Limanis would not employ workers requiring workers’ compensation coverage.
However, prosecutors say certified payroll records later submitted to the Public Housing Agency told a different story. According to the criminal complaint, Limanis reportedly paid approximately $416,490 in wages between June and September 2025. That included roughly $359,258 tied to roofing labor and another $57,232 related to sheet metal work involving gutters and downspouts.
Authorities allege those payroll submissions directly contradicted representations made to the insurance carrier that the company had no employees performing work requiring coverage.
After the policy period ended, Old Republic conducted an audit to determine whether additional insurance premiums were owed based on actual payroll exposure. Prosecutors allege Ramos responded to the audit in April 2026 by submitting payroll records, bank statements, and tax documents while continuing to claim Limanis did not employ workers requiring workers’ compensation insurance coverage.
Investigators allege those statements were false and intended to conceal payroll exposure associated with high-risk roofing and sheet metal work classifications.
According to estimates from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Ramos allegedly avoided approximately $172,099.77 in workers’ compensation insurance premiums. Prosecutors claim about $165,689.79 was tied to roofing payroll classifications, while another $6,409.98 related to sheet metal payroll associated with gutter and downspout work.
The case remains ongoing.
