Michael Martinez, aged 34 and formerly a sheriff’s deputy in New Mexico, has received a sentence of nine years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for the kidnapping and sexual assault of a woman that occurred during an arrest last year. In addition, he is mandated to register as a sex offender as outlined by the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, following his conviction for civil rights violations and obstruction of justice.

Martinez pled guilty to the charges in April, which were related to his assault of a female arrestee inside his patrol vehicle in April 2023. The incident took place after he arrested the woman for DUI and careless driving related to a car crash, despite eventual tests indicating her blood alcohol level was below the legal limit. After transporting her for medical clearance, he moved her to the back of his patrol car, where he assaulted her while she was still restrained.

Authorities assert that he attempted to erase evidence of the crime by tampering with the vehicle's camera system shortly after the assault. His misleading report to the sheriff's office claimed that his vehicle had suffered damage, but an investigation ultimately revealed footage of both the assault and his efforts to destroy evidence. Following these revelations, Martinez was terminated from his position with the sheriff's department.