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Former plumbing inspector gets 18 months for bribes

By AP/KWMU

St. Louis, Mo – A former plumbing inspector for the city of St. Louis was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in prison for accepting bribes from contractors.

Bill Beckemeyer had pleaded guilty in January after being one of four city officials indicted on federal bribery charges in August. Mayor Francis Slay has called the case an embarrassment and said the city has taken steps to prevent future corruption.

U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway says that over a five-year period ending in May, Beckemeyer took cash from plumbing contractors and drain layers seeking inspections, change orders or customer referrals.

Part of his job was to approve proposed plumbing and drain-laying projects and ensure that only qualified people worked on those projects.

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