COUNTRY CLUB PARK : Phony Smog Tests Land Mechanic in Jail

An auto repair shop owner who produced fraudulent smog certificates will serve 30 days in jail but will be allowed to continue working during the day and return to jail at night, a Superior Court judge ordered last week.

Suk Tae Bae, 31, was sentenced to 90 days in County Jail and three years’ probation and was fined $3,300, but Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Paul Gutman suspended 60 days of the jail time on the condition that Bae performs 500 hours of community service, pays the fines and surrenders his smog-check licenses.

Bae, owner of Ace Bae Auto Repair at 3116 W. Venice Blvd., was ordered to return to Gutman’s court Wednesday to begin serving his jail sentence on the work furlough program.

A resident of La Canada Flintridge, Bae pleaded no contest in April to one count of computer fraud. He was originally charged with two counts of perjury and one count of computer fraud and would have faced a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison if convicted of all three counts, Deputy Dist. Atty. Lisa Kaas said.

Bae’s attorney, Michael Adelson, said his client appreciated the judge’s decision to allow Bae, to continue working while he serves his jail time. “I thought the judge thought this out very well and was very fair,” Adelson said.