MIAMI (WSVN) - Jury selection will begin in the trial of former Miami-Dade County commissioner Joe Martinez, who faces corruption charges related to accepting payments from a business owner. The proceedings are set to take place at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Metro Justice Building in Miami.
Martinez is charged with unlawful compensation and conspiracy to commit unlawful compensation, both are third-degree felonies. If convicted, each charge carries a maximum sentence of up to up to 5 years in prison.
Authorities said Martinez accepted $15,000 from a supermarket owner who was facing repeated fines for having too many storage units in the property. In exchange for the money, Martinez reportedly pushed legislation to allow the supermarket and its landlord to legally have the storage unit containers.
The legislation never passed and was never considered by commissioners.
On Friday, 7News spoke to Martinez’s attorney.
“A trail commissioner Martinez is looking forward to,” said attorney Benedict P. Kuehne. “We are prepared to go to trial. We had some other legal rulings on the evidence in what the theory of defense is allowed to be. All of which, we believe, the judge ruled favorably and in commissioner Martinez’s favor so that he has a full opportunity to demonstrate to the jury, the people of Miami-Dade County that he’s not guilty. [He] absolutely did not do what the state claims.”
The 65-year-old former commissioner has denies all claims against him, calling them false and politically moved.
Back in September 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis took action against Martinez and suspended him through an executive order that barred the longtime county official from performing any official acts or receiving any government pay.
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