Muskogee citizens will find themselves in serious trouble if they are caught bribing a public employee or officer. The city itself does not punish the crime of bribery, but the state of Oklahoma has hefty penalties for those caught bribing others.
Defining Bribery in Muskogee
In Oklahoma, the crime of bribery is defined by giving “any money, goods, right in action, property, thing of value or advantage, present or prospective, or any promise or undertaking, asked, given or accepted, with a corrupt intent to influence unlawfully the person to whom it is given, in his action, vote or opinion, in any public or official capacity.” Essentially, anyone caught giving anything to a public employee to encourage him to take any action can be charged with bribery in Muskogee.
In order to secure a guilty conviction, the prosecutor must prove each part of the crime’s definition by a reasonable doubt. These parts are called “elements.” The crime of bribery in Muskogee has five elements: 1) offering, giving, or promising, 2) money, goods, property, or other valuable thing, 3) to an employee, official, legislator, or other public officer 4) knowing he was a public employee, and 5) the intent to influence his official action. A prosecutor will have to prove each of these five elements beyond a reasonable doubt in order to obtain a conviction.
Proving that the defendant intended to influence the public employee or official is not an easy task for any prosecutor. However, anyone found guilty of bribery in Muskogee can face five to ten years in state penitentiary and up to $5,000 in fines.
Low-cost Consultation: Muskogee Bribery Defense Lawyer
Bribery and its related crimes are serious charges, and if you or anyone you know is faced with them, please contact a Muskogee Bribery Defense Attorney at The Wirth Law Office – Muskogee for a initial consultation today at (918) 913-0725 or call toll-free at (888) 447-7262. If you prefer to contact us by email, use the form at the top of this page
