GRAND FORKS, ND (trfnews.i234.me) – A Minnesota man has been sentenced to an astonishing 50 years in prison, with 20 years suspended, for his heinous crimes against four young girls. Manuel Martinez Jr., 47, pleaded guilty in June to four counts of Class AA felony gross sexual imposition.
The horrific abuse occurred over nearly a decade, from 2012 to 2021, and the youngest victim was just six years old when the acts began. In a shocking confession, Martinez told law enforcement that he hated himself for what he did and acknowledged that his actions had ruined the girls’ lives.
Martinez’s crimes carry maximum sentences of life imprisonment without parole. He has already been serving prison time in Minnesota, where he was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in August 2022. The new sentence will run consecutively with his existing term.
The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation handed down the harsh punishment, taking into account Martinez’s previous conviction and the severity of his crimes. As part of his sentence, Martinez must register as a sex offender for five years after release from prison. His supervised probation period is also set to last five years.