A jury in Denver found a former Albuquerque Public Schools deputy superintendent not guilty on child sexual assault charges.
The jury found Jason Martinez not guilty on four counts in all. Two were for sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust and the other two were for sexual assault on a child with a pattern of abuse.
Martinez faced those charges while working at APS last year. Martinez did not undergo a background check required of all school personnel before he abruptly resigned last summer after just two months on the job.
Martinez’s child sexual assault charges, which stemmed from 2013 incidents in Denver, became known publicly when NM Political Report found them two days after he resigned from APS.
Days later, Martinez surrendered to authorities for violating his conditions of release. Martinez was barred from leaving Colorado, though he worked in Albuquerque for months. His lawyer initially argued that Martinez never left the state, though video evidence showed Martinez in Albuquerque.
The controversy ended in the resignation of Superintendent Luis Valentino.
Before Valentino hired him, Martinez worked from 2010-2012 in Denver Public Schools. After that, he worked at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
A previous jury could not come to a unanimous verdict on the same charges and the judge declared a mistrial.
Martinez also faced domestic abuse charges, though the status of those are unknown.
