A former Dearborn Building and Safety Department employee has pleaded guilty to a bribery charge – the second former employee to do so this year – and now faces up to 27 months in prison and $50,000 in fines when sentenced Jan. 21.

Wanda Smith, 42, entered her guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Detroit Monday to a bribery charge in connection with charges that she illegally issued work permits in exchange for money. She must also pay restitution in the amount of $29,000 to the City of Dearborn.

According to U.S. Attorney Terrence Berg, Smith received more than $15,000 in bribes and discounted repairs to her home and automobiles between 2006 and 2009 in return for issuing more than 1,000 permits. Berg says Smith issued the permits without charging a fee or at a greatly reduced fee.

Berg commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Dearborn Police Department for their investigation and thanked the City of Dearborn for their cooperation and assistance.

“Public servants owe a high duty of honesty and integrity to the citizens that should never allow the acceptance of money or services to avoid carrying out their official duties.” Berg said in a prepared statement. “We will continue to make such cases a priority.”

Smith is the second person from the Dearborn Building and Safety department to enter a guilty plea rather than go to trial.

In July 2009, Leticia Bosemon, 38, of Inkster pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in return for issuing temporary certificates of occupancy for residential property in Dearborn.

Bosemon admitted in court that from the fall of 2006 until June, 2008 she accepted in excess of $63,000 from many individuals in return for preparing fraudulent performance bonds and issuing temporary certificates of occupancy, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Under the terms of the agreement, Bosemon faces a maximum penalty of 37 months and a $250,000 fine. Her sentencing date has been set for Dec. 3, 2009.