Wilmington : Two Landlords Sentenced

Victor Corpuz, a 74-year-old former honorary mayor, was sentenced this week to 30 days in county jail on criminal charges stemming from slum conditions at an apartment building he owns on Wilmington Boulevard.

Samuel Corpuz, his son, was sentenced at the same time to 60 days in county jail for slum conditions at three apartment buildings he owns on Wilmington Boulevard and Island Avenue.

The father-and-son landlords, who own and manage at least 50 apartments in Wilmington, pleaded no contest last month to the charges. Victor Corpuz pleaded no contest to six misdemeanor counts involving a one-story duplex at 1446-1448 N. Wilmington Blvd., and Samuel Corpuz, 46, pleaded no contest to 18 misdemeanor counts involving buildings at 1450-52 N. Wilmington Blvd. and 936-942 and 1011-1013 1/2 Island Ave.

Los Angeles Municipal Court Commissioner Barry Kohn also placed the two landlords on three years’ probation and ordered them to reimburse the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety and the county Department of Health, the two agencies that investigated the cases. Victor Corpuz was ordered to pay the agencies $531, and Samuel Corpuz must pay $1,342.

Kohn also ordered the Corpuzes to repair the buildings and correct any building and health code violations before serving their jail terms, which begin on Jan. 8.

Deputy City Atty. Abraham Khan, who requested that the two be sent to jail, said the court action against the Corpuzes is meant to serve as a warning to other slumlords in Wilmington and elsewhere. “It is amazing what progress one makes on their property once they have served some time in county jail,” Khan said.

Lawrence L. Roman, attorney for the Corpuzes, has declined to comment on the case. In interviews last summer, the Corpuzes denied that they were slumlords and said they were making good-faith efforts to rehabilitate their buildings.