Jefferson Parish Building Inspector Pleads Guilty for His Role in Bribery Scheme

NEW ORLEANS –  U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ALTON MCCLINTON, age 54, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty as charged yesterday before United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey to a one-count bill of information with using a facility of interstate commerce with the intent to promote unlawful activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 1952(a)(3).

According to court documents, MCCLINTON began working as a building inspector for the Jefferson Parish Department of Inspection and Code Enforcement in about 2014.  He was responsible for, among other things, investigating complaints involving zoning violations and inspecting buildings to ensure that the structures were in compliance with parish building codes.  On at least ten (10) occasions, MCCLINTON used his position to demand a payment of between $150 and $500 in exchange for issuing either (1) a report reflecting that no zoning violation had occurred when, in fact, one had occurred and (2) an inspection report reflecting that MCCLINTON had inspected a particular building and that the building complied with parish building codes when, in fact, MCCLINTON had not actually inspected the building.  Thereafter, MCCLINTON had the pertinent information regarding the fraudulently passed building or zoning inspection entered into one of two internet-based computer systems used by Jefferson Parish to record building inspections and zoning violations.  While most of the bribe payments MCCLINTON received were in cash, at least one was in the form of a check drawn on the account of the party seeking a passing report from MCCLINTON. In total, MCCLINTON received a total of not less than $3,000 in bribe payments to influence his conduct.

MCCLINTON faces a maximum term of five (5) years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.  Sentencing before Judge Zainey has been scheduled for July 30, 2019.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter, with the assistance of the Jefferson Parish Office of the Inspector General.  Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.