MIAMI – The corruption case against former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Joe Martinez has moved into the final phase, as a jury deliberates on whether Martinez is guilty of accepting bribes in exchange for political influence.
Martinez is accused of accepting $15,000 from the owner of a local supermarket who faced substantial fines due to code violations related to excessive storage containers on the property.
Prosecutors allege that, in return for the payment, Martinez promised to push favorable legislation before the Miami-Dade County Commission. However, the proposed legislation was never brought to a vote.
Prosecutor Tim Vander Giesen argued that Martinez attempted to exploit his public office for personal gain.
“Mr. Martinez cannot use his position or authority to benefit himself personally, and that’s what he was trying to do,” Vander Giesen told the jury.
Martinez’s defense attorney, Ben Kuehne, countered by portraying the former commissioner as a dedicated public servant with a long record of integrity. “There’s one quality that shows through his honorable and honored service,” Kuehne said. “His call to duty to serve the public his entire life.”
If convicted, Martinez faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
The jury’s verdict will determine the future of a once-prominent figure in Miami-Dade County politics.