Two Sentenced To Prison in Tulsa Public Works Bribery Case

Newson6.com

57-year old Max Elliot Wolf, Owasso, and 49-year-old Harlan Eugene Yocham, Sapulpa, were sentenced to federal prison, Monday. The court ordered restitution of nearly a million dollars, all but $10,000 to be paid by Wolf.

Wolf was sentenced to 57 months and Yocham was sentenced to five.

Wolf admitted that from 2005 until June 2008, he made numerous bribery payments to former Tulsa Public Works Field Engineering Manager Albert Martinez with the intent to influence and reward Martinez for certifying fraudulent inflated invoices submitted by his company.

Yocham admitted that he paid a $7,000 also to bribe Albert Martinez for his approval of a fraudulent and inflated invoice involving a street improvement contract on E. Pine St. between Peoria & Lewis.

Both men have paid their restitution and the money will be restored to the City of Tulsa.

U.S. Attorney Scott Woodward said, "Hundreds of hard-working public employees and private contractors work together every day to maintain and improve the operation of the City of Tulsa. Rarely do we see such an obvious disregard for the public trust as these defendants have shown. However, when public corruption is exposed, we will do our best to ensure that the perpetrators are punished accordingly and the interests of the citizens are upheld."