A Southern California school janitor has been jailed for almost five years for lewd sex crimes against young boys.
Pedro Martinez, who has now been acquitted, is accused of a botched investigation, that his accuser had made nearly a dozen similar claims in the past, and that a child was coaxed into confessing and rewarded with candy. He is suing over an incident he says was rife with lies and dirty tactics.
Last December, Martinez was released from prison after a jury acquitted him of sexually assaulting a child at Hesperia Elementary School. But Martinez doesn’t just want her freedom, she wants justice for the damage done to her life and family.
On Monday, he and his wife Juliette Mondragon de Martinez were joined by San Bernardino County, the Sheriff’s Department, three county detectives, a county attorney and a personal injury attorney who represented the accuser in the civil suit. filed a lawsuit against.
Mr. Martinez, a law-abiding citizen who had never even received a parking ticket, was arrested, charged with multiple counts of child sexual assault, publicly humiliated, and accused of “He was mistreated, wrongfully prosecuted, and ultimately imprisoned for nearly five years. A jury found him not guilty on all charges,” the complaint states.
The complaint says the incident was based on the absurd claims of a “self-proclaimed opioid addict with a criminal history who had made very similar claims multiple times against others,” and was not based on any valid evidence. claims.
The lawsuit further alleges that county officials botched the investigation and subsequent trial by coaching witnesses, withholding exculpatory evidence from the jury, fabricating evidence, and making false statements. In doing so, the county violated Martinez’s 14th Amendment right to due process of law and his 4th Amendment right to freedom from unreasonable government search and seizure, according to the complaint.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said the agency does not comment on pending litigation, and a county spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Martinez was arrested on Jan. 22, 2019, after the girlfriend of one of the mothers at Maple Elementary School in Hesperia reported that she was sexually abusing a 6-year-old male student.
He was subsequently charged with 11 counts of child sexual abuse and was detained until his release on December 11, 2023. During this time, he missed holidays, birthdays, milestones in his children’s lives, his brother’s funeral, and his wife’s presence. he says.
The complaint alleges that Sheriff’s Department detectives coerced one of the alleged victims, a 6-year-old boy, to corroborate his allegation of assault after he initially denied being abused.
The detective “asked leading questions, refused to accept denials, and communicated threats of “phone calls” to his partner.” [his] If he continued to deny the abuse and suggest answers to all questions, the father said, “the father is,” according to the complaint. When the child finally confirmed the abuse, the complaint states, he was given candy as a reward.
The lawsuit also accuses county officials of failing to take into account damning information about the accuser. This includes that she has reported at least 10 similar sexual assault allegations in the past, was charged with child abuse in 2020, and was party to multiple domestic violence restraining order petitions.
The complaint says there was little evidence to point to Martinez’s guilt other than the allegations made by his accuser and the 6-year-old student.
All of Martinez’s personal devices were seized and searched and no media depicting child exploitation, records of sexual activity with children, or inappropriate communication with children were found, according to the complaint. It is said that Sexual assault tests for the two alleged victims came back normal. A scene investigation of the janitor’s closet where the assault allegedly took place found no blood or semen.
“This case is a stark reminder of what happens when investigations are driven by bias and disregard for due process,” Martinez’s co-counsel Katherine McBroom said in a statement. “We must protect the integrity of our legal system and hold those responsible accountable to ensure this never happens to anyone else.”
Mr. Martinez and his wife filed suit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Central District, seeking compensatory and punitive damages in amounts to be determined at trial.
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