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# Man accused of bribery in City Hall pleads not guilty
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/man-accused-of-bribery-in-city-hall-pleads-not-guilty/
- Published: 2003-05-21T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T02:09:27.000Z
- Author: Carolyn Sackariason
- Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*Alleged bribe solicitor faces up to eight years in prison*

A City Hall building inspector accused of soliciting bribes pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery on Tuesday.

Martin Aguirre, 29, appeared in front of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Harkavy with his Santa Monica attorney, Dan Brookman. He entered his plea of not guilty to two counts of bribery.

Aguirre, a resident of Downey, was charged with the felony counts by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office earlier this month.

Authorities allege Aguirre took a total of $1,600 in cash from a Santa Monica woman and a local business owner in two separate incidents. Aguirre allegedly told them they were violating the city’s building codes but said he would ignore the infractions if they paid him cash.

The preliminary hearing is set for July 8 in downtown Los Angeles Superior Court. Aguirre, who posted bail after his Feb. 10 arrest, will remain free on the condition that he not make contact with any witnesses involved in the case, said Richard Ceballos, deputy district attorney in the public integrity division of the DA’s Office.

Aguirre was arrested by Santa Monica Police in a sting operation in February after he allegedly solicited a bribe from a business owner on Ocean Park Boulevard who was renovating his property. Aguirre allegedly told the businessman he didn’t have the proper construction permits but said he would ignore the issue if he paid him $1,000.

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 business owner, who the DA has declined to identify, had reported the alleged bribe solicitation to the SMPD. The SMPD provided marked currency to the business owner and then made the transaction with Aguirre, who was arrested immediately afterward.

A little more than a month earlier, Aguirre allegedly told a Santa Monica homeowner that her garage was illegally converted into an apartment but he wouldn’t red tag her property if she paid him $3,000 in cash. Unable to provide the cash, Aguirre allegedly returned to the property a few days later, when he accepted her offer of $28.75 from her purse and a $200 child support check, which she cashed at a bank that he accompanied her to. He then told her he would be back in a week to collect more money. Aguirre again accompanied the woman to the bank, where she gave him another $300.

The woman even offered the change out of her daughter’s piggy bank and a Toys R Us gift certificate, but Aguirre didn’t take it, Ceballos said.

Brookman, Aguirre’s attorney, said his client denies all allegations against him. Brookman declined to comment on the specifics of the case.

Aguirre had been a contract employee at City Hall since October with an Ontario-based firm called JAS, which offers contract services to City Hall’s building and safety department.

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.

Aguirre faces up to eight years in prison and a maximum of $4,000 in fines for both counts.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 21, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052103.pdf?ref=smdp.com)