LA Building Inspector Sentenced for Bribery

A former building inspector with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for taking tens of thousands of dollars in bribe payments. Samuel In, 66, a 37-year veteran of LADBS, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery last year.

According to court documents, In took bribe payments, described as ‘fees,’ from 2007 through the end of 2010. He admitted to soliciting and accepting bribery payments totaling more than $30,000 in connection with his official duties in relation to at least a dozen Koreatown properties.

Federal prosecutors asked United States District Judge Dean D. Pregerson to impose a 30-month prison term, citing In’s ‘deliberate, long-running pattern of corruption.’ The judge agreed with the recommendation, stating that In’s crimes warranted a harsher sentence.

In a sentencing memo, prosecutors wrote that In ‘abused his position as a senior building inspector over a number of years to solicit and take bribes in return for approving numerous building projects that may or may not have been safe.’

The case against In is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI is urging anyone with information about building inspectors or other officials accepting bribes to contact the agency by calling its Los Angeles Field Office at 855-5-BRIBES or sending an email to ReportBribes@ic.fbi.gov.

In’s sentence marks the latest in a string of high-profile corruption cases in Los Angeles. The city has struggled to root out corruption in its government agencies, with several officials facing charges in recent years.

As In begins his 30-month sentence, the FBI is warning residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities. The agency is committed to rooting out corruption in all its forms and bringing those responsible to justice.

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