Albuquerque Newsdesk

Denver judge declares mistrial on former APS administrator

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Denver jurors who heard the case of former Albuquerque Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Jason Martinez could not come to a verdict. A judge declared mistrial today after jurors couldn’t come to a unanimous verdict, according to the Associated Press. Martinez is facing charges for sexually assaulting two boys. Despite being charged with the crimes in summer 2013, Martinez was still hired on this summer as a top-level APS staffer by then-Superintendent Luis Valentino. Martinez never completed a background check for the school district, which maintains it never knew of his past until New Mexico Political Report broke news that Martinez’ was facing trial in Denver for sexual assault charges. The news came one day after Martinez abruptly resigned from APS.

Jason Martinez

Martinez bond increased; lawyer claims he never left CO

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Jason Martinez appeared in court in Denver on Thursday for violating his bond on two criminal cases he faces in Colorado. According to KOB-TV, Martinez will face $100,000 bond on each of the cases and be required to wear  an alcohol and GPS monitor. The former Albuquerque Public Schools deputy superintendent will also face restrictions on contact with minors; he will only be able to have contact with minors while under supervision. The Associated Press also reported the increased bond. Martinez was arrested in 2013 for multiple felonies of sexual abuse of a child, as first reported by New Mexico Political Report.

Albuquerque Newsdesk

Former APS deputy superintendent arrested, now in Denver jail

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The former Albuquerque Public Schools deputy superintendent who is facing child sexual abuse and domestic violence charges was booked into Denver jail on Wednesday. The Albuquerque Journal first reported the news on Wednesday, citing online court records. The newspaper says Jason Martinez is being held without bond. A spokeswoman with the District Attorney’s office in Denver confirmed the news to New Mexico Political Report. The spokeswoman, Lynn Kimbrough confirmed that he is being held in the Denver Detention Center.

Jason Martinez

Arrest warrant out for former APS deputy chief

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A Denver district judge agreed to revoke two bonds for Timothy Jason Martinez. The order from Judge Martin Egelhoff came late Monday afternoon, the same day the District Attorney’s Office filed the motion to revoke the bonds. This means an arrest warrant is now out for Martinez, who resigned from his role as deputy superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools last Thursday. “As a standard practice, we have reached out to his attorney to let him know of the motion and warrant,” Denver District Attorney spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough wrote in an email Tuesday morning. Martinez’ arrest warrant is just the latest in a ballooning APS scandal that’s involved alleged retaliation against an administrator, a missed background check of an alleged pedophile and a whistleblower lawsuit implicating the state’s education secretary and its highest office—the governor—in the controversy.