For at least 17 years, city employee Brian Keith Hamasaki accepted bribes to help companies and individuals save up to half the value of their annual vehicle registration fees, a city prosecutor said yesterday.

Hamasaki, 51, a former employee in the city Customer Services Department, pleaded guilty yesterday to bribery, theft, record-tampering and drug charges.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Van Marter said his office will seek prison time when Hamasaki is sentenced in August by Circuit Judge Richard Perkins.

"It's extremely serious conduct" that "undermines the public trust," Van Marter said.

In his plea agreement, Hamasaki admitted to accepting bribes for 10 years, but Van Marter said a police investigation determined that the illegal activity occurred over 17 years.

Hamasaki declined comment after the hearing. His lawyer, William Jameson, said Hamasaki "knew what he was doing was wrong. He's accepted responsibility."

Hamasaki admitted to accepting cash from individuals and companies in return for falsifying the amount of money owed and paid for annual vehicle registrations.

Van Marter said at least five companies were co-conspirators with Hamasaki in the scheme, saving tens of thousands of dollars in fees, which are based on the weight of vehicles.

One company saved $34,000 by bribing Hamasaki, said the prosecutor, citing the results of an audit conducted by the city after Hamasaki was arrested last year.

The arrest occurred after Hamasaki began demanding more money from his customers and one company complained to police.

"He got greedy," Van Marter said.

An undercover sting operation was launched, in which an informant and a police officer arranged to pay Hamasaki $1,000 for falsified paperwork for three vehicles, including an 18-wheel truck.

Hamasaki was also arrested last year on drug charges after methamphetamine and marijuana paraphernalia were seized from him at the airport before a flight to Las Vegas.

He pleaded guilty yesterday to charges of third-degree promotion of dangerous and detrimental drugs.

Van Marter said he did not know if Hamasaki's demands for larger bribes were related to drug use.

An investigation of the case is still under way, the prosecutor said, adding that Hamasaki hasn't told investigators everything he knows.

"We haven't received full cooperation," said Van Marter.