An ex-crane inspector for New York City’s Department of Buildings pleaded guilty this week to taking bribes from Michael Sackaris, the owner of Nu-Way Crane Service, Copiague, N.Y. According to a New York Times article, James Delayo, former chief crane inspector, admitted that in exchange for accepting more than $10,000, he certified cranes that had not been inspected, and issued crane operator’s licenses to people who had not completed examinations.
Delayo pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree bribe receiving as part of an agreement under which he will serve two to six years in prison. The charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. He’ll be sentenced on May 4. Sackaris and Nu-Way operator Michael Pascalli, accused of receiving a license without having taken the test, are also under indictment.
Delayo’s lawyer, David M. Oddo, said his client was sorry for what he had done, and he did not believe that his actions put people in danger because he did visual inspections on some cranes and thought that it was enough to tell whether or not the cranes were in good shape. Some cranes that he did not properly inspect later passed inspections, Oddo said, adding that the bribes did not involve tower cranes.
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