Porterville Man Found Guilty of 31 Counts of Child Molestation

Late yesterday in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, a jury found Armando Martinez, age 37, guilty of six counts of sexual intercourse with a child ten years of age or younger, one count of oral copulation with a child ten years of age or younger, nineteen counts of forcible lewd act upon a child under the age of fourteen, four counts of lewd act upon a child under the age of fourteen and one count of forcible rape.

The jury also found true the special allegations of substantial sexual conduct and that the crimes were committed against multiple victims. Each count is a felony and considered a strike offense.

Twenty-three of the crimes were committed between July 18, 2008, and August 5, 2018, against one female victim, who was between four and fourteen-years-old at the time of the sexual assaults. The remaining eight crimes were committed between February 28, 2017, and August 5, 2018, against a separate female victim, who was between seven and eight-years-old at the time of the sexual assaults. All of the crimes occurred in the City of Porterville.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 7, 2022, in Superior Court where Martinez faces up to 540 years-to-life in state prison. Martinez will also be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Chelsea Wayt of the Crimes against Children Division and was investigated by Sergeant Orlando Ortiz and Officer Jesus Gallardo of the Porterville Police Department.  

Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Supervising Deputy District Attorney Jessica Weatherly (559) 636-5494