After a daylong hearing that featured emotional testimony from his friends and family, former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Joe Martinez is free to walk for at least another month as his sentencing on public corruption charges has been postponed to September.

Martinez was charged in 2022 with unlawful compensation and conspiracy to commit unlawful compensation in a case involving $15,000 in payments from a business owner facing code violations, according to authorities. He was removed from office by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Prosecutors say the charges could lead to up to 20 years in custody. But Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Miguel de la O signaled to the courtroom that he'd like to give Martinez a reduced sentence after hearing hours of testimony about Martinez's deeds as a law enforcemen

See Full Page