By Kathryn Reed

Mike Wallace, who runs Sierra Tahoe Ready Mix, said paperwork may have been faulty, but the quality of concrete from his business has never been anything but the best.

Wallace’s South Lake Tahoe business and home were searched last week by law enforcement officials who are questioning whether fraud related to government contracts has been committed.

Until March 28 no one from the city had contacted Wallace about any potential indiscretions, Wallace said.

“If they would have just called me, I would have told them what I told Robert Leach,” Wallace said. Leach is the El Dorado County assistant district attorney who is handling the case. He was not available for comment.

“What I did wasn’t right, but it wasn’t to a degree that I thought I was hurting anyone, screwing anyone or making a profit off anyone,” Wallace told Lake Tahoe News.

He added that he changed the date of a mix because the customer, a firm hired by South Lake Tahoe, needed the paperwork immediately or else they said they would go elsewhere. Wallace said he changed the date to say it was the current year. However, Wallace said the concrete mix that was delivered was that year’s formula.

Wallace said a delivery ticket is sent with each batch. Through a computerized mechanism the concrete is mixed. Each job does not requires the same consistency. The ticket has the weight, water content and other details of every load.

At this time Wallace has not been charged with any crime.

South Lake Tahoe officials say it is now up the DA’s office.