MADERA – There’s an old saying that ‘The leopard cannot change its spots, nor can the tiger change its stripes’. This week we seem to have been given a recent example of this in a former Coyote football player and now Madera Police officer who has been accused of illegally accessing state computers for the benefit of his friends. Officer Anthony Martinez was suspended from duty and resigned his position with the department following his arrest for the crime of Unauthorized Furnishing of State Criminal History Information in violation of Penal Code section 11142.
According to the criminal complaint filed with the California Superior Court – Madera County, Martinez accessed the Madera Police Departments California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) for a third party that was not authorized to receive such information around January 7th, 2021.
The CLET
S network of computers gives police departments access to national databases maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the State of California, and others. The system also provides law enforcement agencies with the capability to deliver messages to one another.
Martinez was placed on administrative leave on January 10th and the Madera Police Department launched an administrative investigation on the issue. Officer Martinez resigned two days later and is no longer an employee with the City of Madera.
Madera Police Chief Dino Lawson told BVN, "While we can’t provide details of personnel matters, Martinez’s behavior was absolutely inappropriate. Our officers are extremely upset over Martinez’s behavior. His actions tarnish the nobility of our profession. Based on what we know now, had Martinez not resigned, our department would have moved to terminate."
According to court records, a bench warrant was not issued but Martinez pled not guilty on March 3, 2021. He is scheduled to return to court for a hearing on April 6, 2021, at 9:30 AM in Department 22. Attorney John Garvin is representing the officer in court.
Now for the interesting background story on Mr. Martinez. This is not the first time Martinez has found himself in hot water after illegally accessing state computer records. In 2012 as a high school senior, Martinez served as a TA for then Madera High Athletics Director Shane Riddle. Martinez was caught accessing the school's attendance records to change them for his friends who were on the school's ‘Loss of Privilege’ (LOP) list.
Six students were found to have paid Martinez for "attendance fixing" so that they could continue to play sports and attend the school's ‘Sadie Hawkins’ Dance. Some students had as many as 70 absences each and while acting as a teacher's assistant Mr. Martinez is said to have charged between $5 and $25 per student to provide his ‘fixing’ services. For this offense, each involved student was given a one-day suspension by the school district, which they served on campus. The student-athletes like Martinez lost one game of football but were back on the field a week later.
Because he was the person who accessed the system without authorization, Martinez also faced an expulsion hearing from the Madera Unified Board of Trustees. Madera Unified staff recommended giving Martinez a "Slap on the Wrist" by expelling the student from school but suspending that expulsion. In other words, Martinez would have an expulsion on his record but would still be allowed to attend Madera High School.
However, at a special meeting of the board of trustees, Madera High’s football star receiver was given a complete pass on the "attendance fixing" as well as the unauthorized access to the school's attendance database, which according to the California Penal Code is a felony.
He may have gotten away with the crime of illegally accessing state computers in high school, but it does not look as though that will be the case this time. In fact, it looks like Martinez's short career in law enforcement is about to be over as a result. He will also face Madera County’s District Attorney Sally Moreno, who has every intention of prosecuting this case to its conclusion. Madera Police were fully aware of Martinez's past before they hired him.
Martinez was an intern for the department after high school and then hired as a cadet, while the city of Madera paid him to attend the police academy in Fresno until he was hired as a full-time police officer. He also represented the Madera Police Department in the United Combat Associations Battle of the Badges MMA fight in 2018. He lost that fight in the 190-pound weight class to California Correctional Officer Aaron Benoit.
As to my opinion on these events (which is only as a Madera historian) and my reason for reminding readers of Mr. Martinez’s high school issue, a relatively recent song lyric comes to mind, “Isn’t it ironic…. don’t you think?”
