New Mexico police officer accused of raping woman he arrested for DWI

ISLETA PUEBLO, N.M. (TCD) -- A 22-year-old former police officer was arrested Tuesday for allegedly raping a drunk driver while bringing her to jail.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, on Nov. 24, the 21-year-old female drunk driving suspect told New Mexico State Police that she had been assaulted while Isleta Police Officer Leon Martin arrested her a few days before. She was reportedly swerving across lanes on N.M. 47 and crashed into a guardrail before being pulled over.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that the woman told officers that Leon Martin didn’t handcuff her and told her she could sit in the front seat. She reportedly thought Martin did not handcuff her because of her broken wrist.

Then, according to the Albuquerque Journal, the victim said Martin told her he “knew a spot.” He allegedly parked in a dark, quiet area near construction equipment and forced her to have sex.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, an officer wrote in a complaint, “(The woman) said Officer Martin told her if they spent a longer amount of time together, she would spend a shorter amount of time in jail and would get to see the judge quicker. Officer Martin also told her he would speak to the judge to help her out with the DWI charges. (The woman) stated she did not want to have sex with Officer Martin but felt like she had to.”

Martin allegedly told the victim not to tell anyone and brought her to the Valencia County Detention Center.

According to KRQE-TV, the woman was afraid he would potentially shoot her or extend charges if she didn’t comply with his sexual advances. She had reportedly recognized Martin because he had messaged her on Facebook a while back after she was involved with a domestic assault incident.

KRQE reports that Martin admitted to the New Mexico State Police that he had sex with the victim while she was under arrest, but he said she initiated it.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that the woman tested positive for chlamydia following her release from jail on Friday.

According to jail records, Martin was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center without bond on Tuesday, Nov. 30, and charged with two counts of criminal sexual penetration, false imprisonment, demanding a bribe, and violation of ethical principles of public service.

Isleta Pueblo Gov. Vernon Abeita told the Albuquerque Journal, “The individual is no longer employed by the pueblo, and the Isleta Police Department is cooperating fully with an ongoing investigation of the incident that is being conducted by New Mexico State Police.”

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