# Los Angeles building inspector gets 30 months in corruption case, March 24, 2014



## mark handler (Mar 25, 2014)

Los Angeles building inspector gets 30 months in corruption case

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bribery-sentence-20140324,0,4211595.story#ixzz2wyg0gp5l

By David Zahniser

March 24, 2014, 4:52 p.m.

A retired Los Angeles building inspector was sentenced Monday to two and a half years in prison resulting from a federal investigation into bribe-taking at the Department of Building and Safety.

U.S. District Judge Dean D. Pregerson also ordered Samuel In, a 37-year city employee who retired in 2011, to pay $30,000 to the city of Los Angeles. In, who pleaded guilty to felony bribery last year, is one of five former Building and Safety employees to face either criminal charges or dismissal as a result of the bribery probe.

Addressing the courtroom, In pleaded for a second chance, saying he would not make the same mistakes again. "I have disgraced my family and myself," he said, his voice choked with emotion.

Pregerson said In, a longtime community volunteer, had done some "good deeds" and provided some restitution to people who had given him bribes. Those acts, however, were not sufficient to outweigh three and a half years of corruption, Pregerson said.

"We have to do everything we can to ensure our system has integrity," he said.

In's guilty plea stems from an incident in which he took $5,000 from a Koreatown businessman. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted to accepting at least $30,000 worth of bribes involving at least a dozen properties that he handled as a city employee between March 2007 and December 2010. All were in or near Koreatown.

The FBI launched an undercover sting operation focusing on Building and Safety in 2010, capturing two inspectors on tape as they accepted cash from people seeking permits. Both men pleaded guilty and received prison sentences. Two other department employees were dismissed in connection with the city's internal investigation of wrongdoing.

Corruption allegations have also reached the city's Housing Department in recent years. A Korean-speaking clerk was convicted of bribery and accused of taking money from immigrants dealing with code enforcement woes.

In's plea agreement depicted him as someone who took monetary payments from Korean-speaking business people who struggled both with English and the city's complex permitting process.

Harold Greenberg, In's attorney, called Monday's sentence unfair, saying his client had already suffered the loss of his reputation, dignity and "respect in the community." Assistant U.S. Atty. Maggie Carter countered that In retired after the bribery investigation became public and is now receiving a "substantial pension."

"It's important to send a message that this defendant is not merely getting a slap on the wrist," she said.

Officials with the City Employees' Retirement System did not immediately respond to a request to disclose the amount of In's pension.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bribery-sentence-20140324,0,4211595.story#ixzz2wyg7HcHY


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## Glenn (Mar 25, 2014)

Makes me so angry, and makes every day I work to serve the public that much more difficult.  Our industry is already unfavored for the work we do...this kind of crime needs no mercy.

Nail them to the wall.


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## steveray (Mar 25, 2014)

Of course he won't do it again.....he got caught and he retired.......Idiot....


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## mark handler (Mar 25, 2014)

steveray said:
			
		

> Of course he won't do it again.....he got caught and he retired.......Idiot....


Retired with Pension....

At least he did not get probation like in Detroit.


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## steveray (Mar 25, 2014)

2.5 yrs in jail and $30K fine for stealing $30K.....I am OK with letting him keep his pension.....The people that steal millions and get months or nothing are another matter....


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## mark handler (Mar 25, 2014)

If You want to stop it, take the pension, he betrayed the trust and committed a crime while working for the city. No mercy.


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## steveray (Mar 25, 2014)

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-windsor-locks-koistinen-appeal-20140324,0,3635560.story

     That is a case that deserves waaaayyyyy stiffer penalties.....Paying back the stolen money plus 2.5 yrs in jail seems OK to me and not going after the pension.  If somone steals $30K from a bank, do they take their retirement?   I don't want do 30 months for 30 grand (even if I got to keep it)....$30 mil would be worth it....


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## ICE (Mar 25, 2014)

mark handler said:
			
		

> If You want to stop it, take the pension, he betrayed the trust and committed a crime while working for the city. No mercy.


That's not fair.  What about family members?  Should they be punished?


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## Frank (Mar 25, 2014)

If you want to prevent corruption you need to make the permitting process transparent, understandable, affordable, resonably convenient and swift.  Then there is no incentive on the part of the customer to try to grease the stuck wheels.

Complex dragged out permitting processes make it worth money to the applicants to try to expedite it.

With many immigrant communities there is additional risk as grease in official transactions is the norm in much of the less developed world and language difficulties and cultural differences make it hard to convey what is required and for them to understand what is required.

Had a man come in yesterday that wants to open a small Asian restaraunt.  His initial question was what kind of wood to use on the kitchen walls.  I was having trouble conveying to him the requirements for professional design,  grease traps, Type 1 hoods etc.  There was some language barrier and some concept issues.  In addition referred him to the Health Department for info on cleanable surfaces, training, refrigeration, equipment, sinks etc.  He has a steep learning curve ahead.


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## mark handler (Mar 25, 2014)

ICE said:
			
		

> That's not fair.  What about family members?  Should they be punished?


Do you want to stop it?


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## Rick18071 (Mar 25, 2014)

Immigrats from certian countys are use to paying bribs for everything.


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## ICE (Mar 25, 2014)

mark handler said:
			
		

> Do you want to stop it?


Not at the cost of ruining the innocent.  Beside that, what makes you think that would cause them to stop?  If the threat of jail isn't enough, threaten to take away their drivers license for life.


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## MASSDRIVER (Mar 26, 2014)

ICE said:
			
		

> That's not fair.  What about family members?  Should they be punished?


He can work till he's dead like the rest of us rabble.

Brent


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## ICE (Mar 26, 2014)

MASSDRIVER said:
			
		

> He can work till he's dead like the rest of us rabble. Brent


The voice of reason.  You definitely add to the mix Brent.


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## conarb (Mar 26, 2014)

The pension should be the first to go, the public already sees all public  employees as nothing but pension whores, people who produce nothing in life, just put in time to retire at 50, and then be paid for the rest of their lives.  All these pension funds are way underfunded and we taxpayers are going to be paying ever more taxes to keep paying them and their wives for as long as they live.  Our newspapers are full of exposés of public employee pensions and pension spiking, the firemen being the worst.


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## mark handler (Mar 26, 2014)

conarb said:
			
		

> The pension should be the first to go, the public already sees all public  employees as nothing but pension whores, people who produce nothing in life, just put in time to retire at 50, and then be paid for the rest of their lives.  All these pension funds are way underfunded and we taxpayers are going to be paying ever more taxes to keep paying them and their wives for as long as they live.  Our newspapers are full of exposés of public employee pensions and pension spiking, the firemen being the worst.


Dick

It has been a long time, but I totally agree with you


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