Van Nuys : Man Sentenced in Smog-Check Probe

The owner of a Van Nuys auto-repair shop was sentenced to 25 days on a Caltrans work crew, ordered to pay $2,000 in investigative costs and banned from working as a smog-check technician for two years for falsifying smog-check certificates, according to City Atty. James Hahn.

Jin Seok Lo, 30, of Castaic pleaded no contest Thursday to conducting an improper emission-control inspection and was sentenced by Los Angeles Municipal Judge Gregory Alarcon. Lo conducted business as Independent Auto Repair at 7560 Sepulveda Blvd.

Lo was also placed on two years’ summary probation, the terms of which include a requirement for him to surrender his smog technician and smog-check station licenses, according to Deputy City Atty. Rubin Harsoyo, who handled the case.

Lo was accused of issuing three smog-check certificates for vehicles with disabled emission-control systems. Undercover state Bureau of Automotive Repair agents posing as customers took the cars to Independent Auto Repair.

In each instance, the certificates were issued without the legally required inspections being conducted on the vehicles, Harsoyo said.

Independent Auto became the target of a sting operation after officials received a consumer complaint about a smog-check conducted at the shop, authorities said.