06.06.2008

New York crane inspector arrested

Robert Morgenthau, the Manhattan district attorney, has announced the arrest of James Delayo, the chief inspector for Cranes and Derricks. Delayo, who is employed by the New York City Department of Buildings, has been charged with accepting bribes from crane operators and crane companies.

The arrest is a result of the ‘DA’s’ investigation into construction site incidents in Manhattan for the period of 2002 to 2007. They are not connected to this year’s crane accidents, according to a spokeswoman at the DA’s office.

Delayo is responsible for crane operator examinations, both written and practical, the supervision of other crane inspectors and annual crane inspections, his salary is $74,000.

The charges allege that Delayo supplemented his take-home pay with numerous bribes from a Long Island-based crane company for passing individuals whether or not they had passed the written or practical exams.

On one occasion, he allegedly accepted a $500 bribe for passing an individual who had not even taken the examination. On another, he allegedly gave a copy of the crane operator’s examination to a crane company operator in exchange for $3,000.

Delayo is also charged with accepting bribes, ranging from $200 to $500, to re-certify cranes that he had not been inspected and to file false paperwork with the New York City Department of Buildings.

He was arrested today and in court entered no plea, according to the AP, which said his lawyer, Lawrence Linzer, declined to comment. He faces a maximum of 22 years in prison.