Former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Joe Martinez was sentenced Monday to nearly three years in prison.
This comes after a jury last year convicted Martinez of unlawful compensation for accepting a $15,000 bribe from a local business owner to pass legislation that would benefit them. The legislation never made it to a vote.
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Miguel De la O, who sentenced Martinez, said he wanted to give a shorter sentence in light of Martinez’s decades-long experience in government and law enforcement.
But mandatory sentencing guidelines say Martinez must receive at least a 34-month sentence.
Judge De la O, however, said he will allow Martinez to remain free while the former commissioner appeals the jury’s verdict.
Martinez maintains his innocence and denies the allegations against him. His appeal could take at least a year.
READ MORE: Corruption sentencing postponed for ex-Commissioner Joe Martinez as judge signals leniency
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