A former school janitor, who spent five years in prison due to accusations of molesting several students, is now taking legal action against San Bernardino County and the sheriff’s department following his acquittal on all charges, as stated in a complaint filed earlier this week in district court.
In January 2019, Pedro Martinez from Hesperia was taken into custody by deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department following accusations of molesting a 6-year-old boy at Maple Elementary School, where he was employed.
Upon his arrest, authorities reported discovering more victims who supported the initial victim’s allegations. Authorities indicated that there could be additional victims who have not yet stepped forward.
Martinez faced serious allegations, being charged with multiple counts of child sex abuse, and remained in custody until his trial commenced in August 2023.
After a lengthy trial lasting over three months, Martinez was found not guilty on 10 of the charges, while the 11th charge was dismissed during the proceedings.
In the course of the trial, attorney Ian Wallach referred to Martinez’s accuser as a “mentally ill woman” who was in a relationship with one of the boys’ mothers at that time, a statement that has been reiterated in the recent complaint submitted on Dec. 2, 2024.
The complaint reveals that the individual making the accusations, described as having a history of opioid addiction and previous criminal behavior, alleged that Martinez was involved in the systematic abuse of multiple children, occurring daily from Monday to Thursday.
The lawsuit, which additionally identifies multiple detectives from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department involved in the inquiry, claims that the “allegations were so implausible and outlandish that any reasonable individual or law enforcement officer would have looked into her background to assess their truthfulness instead of simply accepting her statement.”
In a statement regarding the complaint submission, attorneys representing Martinez further claim that there was misconduct by the prosecution, which involved the suppression of evidence and the manipulation of witnesses.
“Pedro Martinez endured nearly five years of wrongful incarceration, separated from his family and forced to endure the stigma of baseless allegations, despite overwhelming evidence of his innocence,” Katherine McBroom, co-counsel for Mr. Martinez, said. “This case is a stark reminder of what happens when investigations are driven by bias and disregard for due process.”
The legal action is pursuing both compensatory and punitive damages, with the specific amount to be established during the trial, as stated in the complaint.
