We may not always agree with the actions our elected officials and other public employees take. However, under bribery laws in Wagoner, citizens will find themselves in serious trouble if they are caught even trying to “pay off” a public employee or officer.
The city itself does not punish the crime of bribery, but the state of Oklahoma has hefty penalties for anyone who bribes an officer. Oklahoma bribery laws declare the offense a felony crime, which can dramatically impact the rest of your life if you are convicted.
Defining Bribery Laws in Wagoner
The state of Oklahoma defines bribery as 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 or to take any action can be charged under bribery laws in Wagoner.
In order to secure a guilty conviction, the prosecutor must prove each part of the crime’s definition beyond a reasonable doubt. These parts are called “elements.”
The crime of bribery in Wagoner has five elements:
- offering, giving, or promising
- money, goods, property, or other valuable thing,
- to an employee, official, legislator, or other public officer
- knowing he or was a public employee, and
- with the intent to influence his or her official action.
A prosecutor will have to prove each of these five elements beyond a reasonable doubt in order to obtain a conviction. OUJI-CR 3-5
Proving that the defendant intended to influence the public employee or official will require that the prosecutor present substantial evidence. However, anyone found guilty of bribery in Wagoner can face five to 10 years in state penitentiary and up to $5,000 in fines.
Initial Strategy Session: Wagoner Bribery Defense Lawyer
Bribery is a serious felony charge. If you or someone you know is faced with this charge, please contact a Wagoner bribery defense attorney at Wirth Law Office – Wagoner today at 918-485-0335 for a low-cost consultation .
