Martin Aguirre asked for cash to cover up alleged code violations
A City Hall building inspector was sentenced to six months in county jail on Wednesday for soliciting bribes from Santa Monica businesses and residents.
Martin Aguirre, 29, of Downey, pleaded no contest in July to one count of bribery as part of a plea bargain that dropped the second bribery charge against him.
Aguirre was arrested by Santa Monica Police in a February undercover sting operation after he solicited a bribe from a local businessman.
Dan Brookman, Aguirre’s attorney, has asked the court that the sentence be served from home with an electronic ankle bracelet to monitor Aguirre’s activity. Brookman said because Los Angeles County jails are overcrowded, it’s likely Aguirre will be given that option.
4CE,“He deeply regrets the entire incident,” said Brookman, who added that Aguirre does not have a criminal history. “He’s very remorseful. He exercised extremely poor judgment and he’s hopeful that he will be forgiven by a higher power. And he intends to spend the rest of his life making up for this one episode of his life.”
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jones ordered Aguirre in July to pay $628 in restitution to one of his victims, another $2,000 in fines and serve three years of probation after he serves his jail time.
Had he been convicted on both bribery felony charges, Aguirre faced a maximum of eight years in prison and $4,000 in fines.
Addison Smith, president of the Ontario-based JAS, an engineering and staffing firm which offers contract services to the city’s building and safety department, applauded the sentence.
“I’m glad he went to jail,” said Smith, whose company has about 60 employees. “It’s been a very trying time for the department and for myself.”
Smith declined to comment on whether City Hall still hires workers from his firm. He said he always has and will continue to verify all applicants’ references, as well as run background criminal and driver’s license checks on potential employees.
Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Richard Wilson did not return calls seeking comment.
Aguirre, who began working at City Hall in October, was arrested after he solicited and accepted a bribe from Jim Allan, the owner of Post Haste Sound, located at 3313 Ocean Park Blvd. Allan said Aguirre walked into his storefront and told him he didn’t possess the proper construction permits. Aguirre asked Allan for $1,500 in cash to ignore the supposed violation, Allan said.
Although Aguirre showed proof he was a code compliance and construction inspector, Allan knew there was nothing wrong with his building because it had previously been approved by local officials and was originally owned by a longtime family friend.
Allan told Aguirre he didn’t have the cash on hand, but to come back the next day. After Aguirre left the building, Allan immediately called the police.
When Aguirre came back to the business owner a few days later to collect the cash, Santa Monica Police officers were waiting for him. The SMPD provided marked currency to Allan, who then made the transaction with Aguirre.
A little more than a month earlier, Aguirre told local resident Diane Smith that her garage was illegally converted into an apartment but he wouldn’t red tag it if she paid him $3,000 in cash.
When Smith was unable to provide the cash, Aguirre returned to the property a few days later and accepted her offer of $28.75 she had in her purse and a $200 child support check, which she cashed at a bank while he accompanied her. He returned the next week and again accompanied Smith to the bank, where she gave him another $300.
Aguirre worked as both a code compliance inspector and a construction inspector during December, January and the early part of February. Aguirre’s responsibilities included investigating building and safety violations, work permits, maintenance complaints, work-related noise complaints, zoning violations, nuisance complaints, sign violations, outdoor merchandising compliance and construction sites.
Addison Smith
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 21, 2003. Read the original PDF.