Markham man sentenced in bribery case

A Markham man who attempted to solicit $10,000 in exchange for false testimony in an Involuntary Manslaughter trial was sentenced to six years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, according to the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Robert Marzette, 48, of Markham, pled guilty to Bribery (Class 2 felony) and was sentenced to six years in the Illinois Department of Corrections at a hearing today before Judge Jorge Alonso at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago.

According to prosecutors, Marzette, who was on parole for a 2010 Burglary conviction at the time of the incident, attempted to solicit $10,000 to provide false testimony at the trial of Maurice McGee, who was charged with Involuntary Manslaughter in 2008.

According to prosecutors, a cooperating witness in the investigation was contacted by one of Marzette’s relatives and indicated that Marzette was willing to talk to the witness to make the case pending against McGee “go away”.

On May 13, 2013, the cooperating witness spoke with Marzette, who demanded a $10,000 cash payment in exchange for falsely testifying at McGee’s upcoming trial that “Maurice McGee did not do the shooting.” Marzette ultimately agreed to accept a bribe of $7,000 for his testimony. Marzette then agreed to meet with a private investigator who he believed was hired by the cooperating witness.

According to prosecutors, on the morning of May, 16, 2013, Marzette met with a Cook County State’s Attorney undercover investigator at a restaurant in the southwest suburbs and acknowledged that he was accepting the $7,000 cash payment in exchange for false testimony which he would provide at McGee’s upcoming trial. After accepting an envelope containing $7,000, the defendant exited the restaurant with the cash and was arrested by authorities.

State’s Attorney Alvarez thanked Assistant State’s Attorney John Carey and the State’s Attorney’s Investigations Unit for their work on this case.