A former city employee pleaded guilty to public corruption charges in federal court Friday.

Albert S. Martinez, 48, the former Field Engineering Manager at the Tulsa Public Works Department, pled guilty to bribery conspiracy, mail fraud conspiracy and procurement fraud, according to Acting United States Attorney Thomas Scott Woodward.

Martinez agreed to pay the city of Tulsa $341,000 in restitution in the case heard before the Honorable Magistrate Judge Paul Cleary, a press release said.

Martinez admitted to accepting bribes from a local construction company through a scheme involving the submission of inflated invoices.
Additionally, Martinez admitted he accepted a $10,000 bribe to influence him in the approval
of city contracts, according to the statement.

Martinez is the second defendant to plead guilty in this public corruption case.
Sentencing for Martinez is set for Dec. 1, after the completion of a pre-sentence
investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. He faces a prison sentence of up to 35 years
and a fine of $750,000.

U.S. District Judge Terrence Kern is presiding in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys
Clinton J. Johnson, Joseph F. Wilson and Catherine J. Depew are prosecuting for the
government. The investigation was undertaken by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division.
Last Updated ( Friday, 28 August 2009 )