Altadena man admits taking bribes as Los Angeles building inspector
From City News Service:
LOS ANGELES -- An Altadena man and Los Angeles building inspector charged with taking bribes pleaded guilty today to accepting thousands of dollars to approve work at construction sites in South Los Angeles without making the required checks.Raoul Joseph Germain, 60, of Altadena, entered the plea in Los Angeles federal court to one count of bribery involving programs that receive federal funds. He is one of two men charged in the case.Appearing before U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder, Germain acknowledged taking $6,000 in bribes between November 2010 and January 2011 from an undercover agent who was posing as a contractor, then signing inspection forms for four houses, even though he never set foot on two of the properties.Germain faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution payments at sentencing Sept. 19, Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. O'Connor said.The prosecutor told Snyder that Germain had "cooperated and confessed his involvement in the scheme."The second defendant, Hugo Joel Gonzalez, 49, of Eagle Rock, pleaded not guilty April 25 to the same charge and is set to face trial June 14.Gonzalez is accused of accepting $9,000 in bribes in exchange for permit approvals on residential construction projects, court papers show.According to criminal complaints in the case, the FBI began an undercover investigation of the inspectors last summer after an informant reported that city of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety inspectors took cash bribes in exchange for permits.Both inspectors are on administrative leave, according to a Department of Building and Safety spokesman.
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| Frank Girardot, Metro Editor for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, brings you behind the yellow tape with takes on true crime, cold cases and more. This is also your forum to discuss crime, its impact on your neighborhood and how we cover it. Have any questions or tips? You can leave a comment here or e-mail Frank. |
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Brian Day is the crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper group. E-mail Brian. |
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