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Richmond, VA — In a case that raises serious questions about regulatory oversight in Virginia’s construction industry. Public records suggest that the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) mischaracterized corporate entities and did not cite a local Class A contractor for allegations of violating a new home construction contract or for the related violations of Virginia code.
Documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) indicate that state officials across multiple agencies failed to act—even as clear discrepancies emerged between the licensed and unlicensed parties involved. Some of those officials now elevated to senior positions in Virginia’s government.¹
Between May and November 2020, Andrea and Martin Driffill’s home was constructed by Covenant Building and Design, operated by Adam and Megan Gregoire with a Class A license.² During the project, LASR Construction, LLC—an unlicensed subcontractor—performed substantial work on the home.³ The Driffills were unaware of this arrangement until evidence surfaced in civil litigation, following a ceiling collapse, mold intrusion, and subsequent health issues affecting the family.⁴
According to FOIA records and DPOR complaint documentation, the agency appears to have substituted information about LASR Construction, LLC with records from LASR Construction Services, LLC—a separate entity formed nearly two years after the home was completed.⁵
Public records confirm the following:
- LASR Construction, LLC, organized in October 2020 by owner Leonel Sanchez. The LLC never held a valid license and is currently listed as inactive by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC).⁶
- LASR Construction Services, LLC was formed in March 2022 by Adam Gregoire, the same individual who owns Covenant Building and Design.⁷ A short time after the Driffills escalated their complaint with DPOR, the company’s SCC filing was inactivated and the license is now ‘terminated’ in DPOR’s database.⁸
- The two companies have distinct ownership, formation dates, registered agents, and no legal continuity.⁹
- Neither company was licensed at the time the home was constructed.¹⁰
- A pending civil case exists between Sanchez and Gregoire, suggesting a contractual dispute according to Virginia Circuit Court documents.¹¹
Despite these discrepancies, former DPOR Director Kishore Thota stated during an audit of the case that LASR Construction, LLC “became” licensed, citing an unrelated license number belonging to LASR Construction Services, LLC.¹² The agency’s investigative file remains uncorrected. This misrepresentation was never amended in the public record.
FOIA Documents provided to the Driffills show that this apparent conflation emboldened DPOR to:
- Remove previously submitted documentation from the hearing file¹³
- Issue a formal finding of “no violation”¹⁴
- Block further inquiry into whether unlicensed construction had occurred¹⁵
When the Driffills sought to appeal, the Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation (BPOR) ignored their submission and request.¹⁶ Additional efforts to correct the record were rebuffed by both the Secretary of Labor and Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office, according to FOIA records.¹⁷ Internal communications document that DPOR advisor Jennifer Sayegh advised against involving the office of the governor in the investigation.¹⁸ FOIA documents also revealed that the the family was added to a constituent tracking list, raising concerns of potential retaliation.¹⁹
In civil court filings, Mr. Gregoire has denied ownership or agency in LASR Construction, LLC, contradicting DPOR’s internal rationale for closing the complaint and Mr. Thota’s assertions.²⁰ This was also corroborated in email communications from Gregoire’s former attorney, R. Moorman who stated that LASR Construction LLC was no longer in business. Attempts to obtain documentation for Thota’s assertions have been unsuccessful.
Seeking accountability, the Driffills contacted the Office of the State Inspector General (OSIG). The office responded that it lacked jurisdiction to investigate DPOR.²¹ However, Senator Glen Sturtevant’s office later confirmed that an audit of DPOR was already underway at the time.²²
In my opinion, DPOR didn’t just ignore the truth. They rewrote it,” said Mrs. Driffill. “Changing the evidence didn’t just affect the outcome at DPOR—it damaged our civil case and allowed other Virginians to be harmed by the same bad actors. Now taxpayers are covering legal costs tied to the very same builder. And with Mr. Sanchez suing Mr. Gregoire, that’s just embarrassing for DPOR, but frustrating for Virginians who could have been spared the losses.”²³
The Driffills believe the refusal to correct the record may have been driven not only by a desire to protect the builder but also to avoid public scrutiny of DPOR itself—particularly given the role of Kishore Thota, who now serves as Chief of Staff to Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears.²⁴
Further complicating the matter, Secretary of Labor Bryan Slater—whom the Driffills contacted for help—allowed DPOR to internally review its own actions.²⁵ FOIA records show that the Secretary’s office was receiving updates on the Driffill case, but did not indicate that to the Driffills when they reached out for assistance. When the Driffills asked if Sec. Slater was personally aware of this, he abruptly stopped direct communication.²⁶ Slater instructed that all future contact be routed through the Driffills’ attorney.²⁷
Roughly a year later while the Driffills were preparing complaints to federal oversight bodies, Secretary Slater sent a follow-up letter stating that “classified employees” had reviewed the matter and concurred with the findings of DPOR.²⁸ The Driffills have felt the referencing of “classified employees” and constituent trackers, redacted files, and non-disclosure paint a dystopian picture of the state of affairs in Commonwealth governance. As the Driffills have plainly stated in recent interviews, “this is a simple workmanship case, not the JFK files”.
In total, DPOR’s information officer has indicated that DPOR and affiliated state offices, including the Office of the Governor, maintain more than 2,000 internal communications and documents referencing the Driffills, their case, and their FOIA requests.²⁹ The agency now requires a $666.00 payment to release those records—a fee never previously imposed for prior FOIA inquiries.³⁰ The family has asked the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council for an official opinion about the possibility that the fees are retaliatory and part of an effort to prevent the Driffills from viewing what was documented about them by government officials. The council’s response is pending.
🔖 Footnotes & Source Guide:
Use the dropdown to view additional source information.
- FOIA responses from DPOR, Secretary of Labor; internal correspondence, social media announcements
- County building permits; contractor license database
- Civil case interrogatory disclosures; subcontractor invoices
- Court records; independent inspections; medical records from family
- FOIA documents comparing license numbers and entity records
- SCC entity record for LASR Construction, LLC (ID: 11124972)
- SCC entity record for LASR Construction Services, LLC (ID: 11358084)
- SCC “Inactive” status LASR Construction LLC
- SCC documents; business registration filings
- DPOR license lookup; no licenses listed for either entity during 2020
- Chesterfield Circuit Court docket: Sanchez v. Gregoire, 2024
- DPOR written response to complainant (FOIA production, April 2024)
- Comparison of DPOR file copies: original submission vs. redacted file
- Final Case Closure Notice from DPOR (December 2023)
- FOIA Documentation, emails
- Date Stamped BPOR submission, no response from the board
- FOIA emails between Governor’s office and DPOR, June–August 2023
- Email authored by Jennifer Sayegh to Office of Governor and Debbie Lewis (FOIA production 2023-2024)
- Internal DPOR/Secretary of Labor communications (FOIA production, 2023-2024)
- Civil court interrogatory responses, Driffill v. Gregoire Development Corp DBA Covenant Building and Design, 2022
- OSIG denial letter, dated March 21, 2025
- Statement from Senator Sturtevant’s Chief of Staff, November 2023
- Direct interview with Andrea Driffill (May 2025)
- LinkedIn and press release showing Thota’s current position
- Email thread showing Secretary Slater deferring to DPOR (FOIA, May 2024)
- FOIA documents showing internal tracking entries and strategy notes
- Email from Secretary Slater to Andrea Driffill May 10, 2024
- Follow-up letter from Secretary of Labor to Driffills (March 20, 2025)
- FOIA response estimating volume of responsive documents (May 2025
- DPOR FOIA invoice estimate email May 13, 2025
