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2nd LA Building Inspector Pleads Guilty In Bribery Case

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) — A second Los Angeles building inspector charged in a federal bribery case pleaded guilty Monday to accepting thousands of dollars in bribes for signing off on construction work he never inspected, federal prosecutors said.

Hugo Joel Gonzalez of Eagle Rock admitted to taking $9,000 in bribes from an FBI informant and an undercover agent who was posing as a contractor, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 1.

On May 5, 59-year-old Raoul Joseph Germain of Altadena pleaded guilty to the same charge -- one count of bribery involving programs that receive federal funds -- on May 5. He is set to be sentenced on Sept. 19.

Both inspectors were the targets of an FBI sting after an informant who worked at a construction site alleged they accepted bribes. The men face up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines and restitution, but prosecutors will recommend lesser sentences because of the guilty pleas.

Since the arrests last month, two more inspectors have been placed on paid leave by the Department of Building and Safety, and one of them has since retired, according to a spokesman for the agency.

In addition, the FBI is reviewing the records of at least 11 active and former department employees, the Los Angeles Times reports.

» RELATED: 2nd LA Building Inspector Agrees To Bribery Plea
» RELATED: FBI Arrests 2 LA City Building Inspectors On Federal Bribery Charges

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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