EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A previously convicted sex offender was sentenced on Monday, June 30, to life in prison plus 10 years for new child sexual abuse material charges and registration violations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas said in a news release.
According to court documents, Mark Martinez, 57, from Anthony, was found to be distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) within a group on the social messaging application Kik.
Martinez was previously convicted in 1991 for the sexual assault of a child around the age of 8 years old and, as of 2022, was residing at an address unknown to his registration officer, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said FBI agents executed a search warrant in August 2022, seizing several electronic devices containing CSAM images and videos. One of those devices contained multiple photos taken at his residence in July, depicting a girl approximately 5 to 6 years old.
The device also contained a folder of videos of another girl downloaded from WhatsApp. A separate device revealed chats on the messaging app Telegram, in which Martinez admitted to sexually molesting a minor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said agents discovered 2,391 CSAM images and 138 CSAM videos on one device, several of which involved “prepubescent minors.” Martinez’s cellphone contained approximately 50 more CSAM images.
A criminal complaint and arrest warrant were issued for Martinez in October 2022. He had already fled to Mexico without reporting to his registration officer and was arrested at the Columbus Port of Entry in New Mexico when he returned on March 3, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said a federal grand jury indicted Martinez on March 22, 2023. He pleaded guilty to all five counts on Aug. 21, 2024.
“Placing this child predator behind bars for the rest of his life makes certain this predator will never again harm another child,” U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas said. “The facts of this case are incredibly disturbing, and I thank all of our law enforcement partners for their work investigating this case, which led to this repeat offender’s ultimate conviction and life imprisonment.”
“Martinez is a dangerous sexual predator who preyed on our community’s most vulnerable victims — our children. This case highlights the disturbing reality of sexual exploitation, and the sentence ensures this predator will remain behind bars and unable to continue such atrocities physically and on the web,” FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge John Morales said. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to work together to ensure no child is victimized in this way.”
Additionally, the FBI, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Valenzuela and Lori Hughes prosecuted the case.
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