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Joe Martinez, Miami-Dade County Commissioner, turned himself into authorities on Tuesday in connection with a corruption case for which he has been under investigation for the past 5 years.
State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle announced a press conference for Tuesday afternoon in which she will provide details of the criminal charges faced by Martínez, a former police lieutenant in this southeast Florida county.
Martinez, 64, who was elected commissioner in 2016, was seen entering the Turner Guilford Knight Jail Tuesday morning, and the corrections report states he faces two counts of unlawful compensation.
According to Telemundo, he has been set on bail of $7,500 and $5,000 for each charge.
Martinez was first elected commissioner in this county in 2000 and remained until 2012 when he opted not to run for re-election.
He ran again and won in 2016, and during this period has served as president and vice president of the budget commission.
The now-detained officer was weighing running to lead the Miami-Dade police department.
In light of finding himself in the middle of a criminal investigation, the state governor, Ron DeSantis, could suspend the commissioner and appoint a temporary replacement.
