ALFONSO CHARDY AND DAVID LYONS Herald Staff Writers

Raul Martinez, who prosecutors say extorted almost $1 million in money and property while Hialeah's mayor, will have to pay the government $100,000 according to a property settlement approved Thursday in federal court.

Prosecutors said they agreed to the $100,000, which will be placed in escrow while Martinez appeals his conviction, because the suspended mayor still faces fines of up to $1.5 million and 120 years in jail when he is sentenced. U.S. District Judge James W. Kehoe has scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 5.

After approving the arrangement, Kehoe dismissed the jury, formally closing the 10-week trial.

Prosecutors, who Thursday discussed the conviction for the first time at a press conference, hailed the verdict as a victory against public corruption. Martinez was convicted on six of eight counts of extortion and racketeering.

"The people of South Florida are no longer willing to cynically accept corruption as a normal condition of government," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcella Cohen, who directed the two-year prosecution effort.

"No matter how powerful or how popular a political figure, no one is above the law."

Jurors were not dismissed Tuesday after reaching their verdict because Kehoe had wanted them to decide whether the government could seize properties from Martinez. But lawyers for Martinez and the U.S. attorney's office settled that issue themselves.

Prosecutor Cohen described the Martinez compromise as a "fair settlement in view of the fact he faces 120 years in prison and up to $1.5 million in fines."

Originally, the prosecution's goal was to seize up to $900,000 in cash and real estate from Martinez because the government believed they were acquired through misuse of his office.

But in reaching their verdict, jurors acquitted Martinez of extortion in connection with some of the properties.

Martinez was accused of extorting land and money from developers in exchange for favors on seven developments: Esperanza Turnkey, Marivi Gardens, Danielle Marie Gardens, Delgado Subdivision, Steve's Estates, Las Palmas and Sevilla West.

He was convicted of racketeering in connection with all seven projects. But jurors acquitted him of extortion on charges related to Sevilla West and Las Palmas. Two of the properties the government had wanted to seize were related to those extortion charges.

Under the agreement signed in court, Martinez will try to sell property in Steve's Estates within a year and deposit $100,000 of the proceeds in an escrow account until the appeal is decided. If Martinez wins his appeal, he would get the money back with interest.

At the prosecution news conference, which also featured Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Udolf and Steve Chaykin, who tried the case, prosecutor Cohen said the government feels "very confident that the jury verdict will be upheld on appeal."

As Martinez left the courthouse, he remained optimistic.

"The fat lady hasn't sung yet," he said.