BOSTON, May 18, 2015—A Lawrence court officer has been indicted on charges he sexually assaulted a female prisoner, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced today.

The Essex County Grand Jury today returned indictments charging JOSE MARTINEZ (D.O.B. 12/21/68) of Lawrence with four counts of rape, six counts of indecent assault and battery, and single counts of assault with intent to rape and misleading investigators.

Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett referred the case to Suffolk prosecutors in light of Martinez’s 15-year employment in Lawrence District Court. His pending case has been transferred to Lynn District Court for the same reason; the indictments will move it to Essex Superior Court.

According to prosecutors, Martinez indecently assaulted the victim in a holding cell, a prisoner elevator, and in a stairwell at the courthouse on three separate dates in 2009 and 2014 while the victim was in custody on drug and fugitive from justice charges.  She disclosed the 2014 assaults to staff at a jail where she was later held, prompting an investigation by State Police.

Martinez was arrested on the sexual assault charges March 4 and placed on leave from his position at the court.  He was arrested again a week later for allegedly attempting to mislead State Police detectives by attempting to have a coworker destroy a cell phone that Martinez had hidden inside the Lawrence courthouse before it could be seized by investigators, prosecutors said.  His bail was revoked at that time.

The grand jury proceedings resulting in today’s indictments were led by Assistant District Attorneys Ian Polumbaum and Elizabeth Riley of the Suffolk DA’s Family Protection and Sexual Assault Bureau.  Martinez is scheduled to appear in Lynn District Court on Wednesday; an Essex County Superior Court arraignment date has not yet been set.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.