ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis building inspector is on paid leave after allegations of soliciting charitable donations from day care providers during official inspections, prompting Mayor Tishaura Jones to request investigations by state and federal authorities.
Video evidence and interviews reveal that the inspector, whose identity is being concealed, approached multiple day care facilities in April 2022, requesting donations while presenting himself as a city official with the power to issue fines or condemn buildings.
LaDonna Smith, owner of Little Precious Angels Childcare Center, recorded an interaction where the inspector asked her to write a check, initially suggesting amounts as high as $10,000. After negotiation, Smith wrote a $500 check to a nonprofit fundraising organization.
"I've always done what they've asked me to do so that I would not have problems," Smith said.
Other day care providers reported similar experiences. Dennis Douglas, a former day care owner, said the inspector approached him while wearing an official badge and suggested donations.
After Douglas declined, he received increased inspection visits and a list of violations, culminating in a notice of condemnation for the building. Shortly after Douglas left the property and another day care provider moved in, the condemnation notice was lifted.
Sasha Miracola, another building owner who previously rented her property to Douglas, described a climate of fear among local businesses.
"A lot of people are afraid because what they do is they use your business. And if you don't give them money for their donation, they'll shut you down," she said.
Jones promptly alerted state and federal authorities about the issue, stating that once the problematic interactions were discovered, the employees involved were immediately addressed.
One inspector involved in allegations of corruption in another Building Division program has resigned; the second inspector has now been placed on forced leave.
Email records obtained by 5 On Your Side through Missouri's Sunshine Act show the inspector raised thousands of dollars for the Special Education Foundation's charity golf tournament. The nonprofit's director confirmed the inspector's involvement but noted the funds, roughly $12,000 over a three-year span, were a small portion of their overall fundraising.
The city has requested investigations from the Missouri State Auditor and the FBI to review the Building Division's practices.
In a letter to the FBI, Jones said, "... this individual has been placed on forced leave pending an investigation ... ."
"It is critical that we get to the bottom of this broader issue immediately," she wrote. "While we take every action we can internally to hold wrongdoers accountable, St. Louisans deserve to know that this problem is being fully investigated."
"(We) ... request your office’s assistance to investigate our Building Division. Our city residents have a right to know that allegations of corruption are acted upon swiftly and that any bad actors are removed."
