A former New Mexico sheriff’s deputy has been charged with handcuffing and sexually assaulting a lady in his patrol automobile, federal prosecutors mentioned Thursday.
Michael Andrew Martinez, a former Doña Ana County sheriff’s deputy, is charged with deprivation of rights below the regulation and obstruction of justice, the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for New Mexico mentioned in an announcement.
The April 30 assault was recorded on a video recording gadget in his police cruiser, which Martinez unsuccessfully tried to destroy, in response to an FBI affidavit filed with a felony grievance.
Martinez, 33, had claimed on Could 2 that somebody broke into his patrol automobile and broken the WatchGuard DVR system, in response to the grievance — however the video remained there and was discovered by Motorola after which investigators.
The video allegedly exhibits Martinez groping a handcuffed girl within the cage space of the automobile, the FBI agent wrote within the affidavit.
Martinez had filed a report saying he responded to a visitors accident in Las Cruces the place a automobile struck a tree on April 30 and detained the registered proprietor, in response to the doc.
A spokesman for Sharif declined to remark Thursday afternoon. Sheriff Kim Stewart is scheduled to carry a information convention Friday morning.
Federal prosecutors described Martinez as a former lawmaker. It isn’t clear when he left the division or how.
The federal public defender listed as representing Martinez didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark late Thursday afternoon.
On-line courtroom information don’t point out a plea. A preliminary listening to is scheduled for Tuesday.
The U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace mentioned Martinez labored for the New Mexico State Police and the Hatch Police Division, and anybody else who could have been victimized is requested to contact the FBI.
State Police didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon particulars of his earlier employment, and a message was left with the Village of Hatch after enterprise hours.
This text was initially printed on NBCNews.com