NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Carlos Martinez, a correction officer, faces a life sentence after the conviction. (FACEBOOK)
Time’s up for a correction officer convicted Friday of repeatedly raping a female inmate.
Carlos Martinez forced the prisoner into sex and kept her quiet by threatening to toss her in solitary confinement, Brooklyn federal jurors decided.
Martinez, 48, shook his head slightly and stared ahead as he heard “guilty” 20 times.
The former Metropolitan Detention Center lieutenant now faces the possibility of a life sentence.
The nearly week-long trial hinged on what happened to an inmate referred to in court as Maria.
Brooklyn federal prosecutors said Martinez pounced in December 2015, inside the lieutenant’s office — which was not monitored by surveillance cameras. The attacks continued through April 2016, when Maria left the Sunset Park facility.
The woman in her late 20s relived the ordeal on the stand.
“It was the worst thing that ever happened to me,” Maria testified. “He killed me inside.”
Martinez’s lawyer tried to raise questions about Maria’s credibility, but the eight men and four women on the jury decided prosecutors proved Martinez abused his power.
“Martinez exploited the victim’s fear of being punished with additional jail time and other disciplinary action, but his attempts to intimidate the victim into silence ultimately failed as evidenced by her brave testimony,” interim Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue said.
When the feds announced charges against Martinez in May, they unveiled separate cases against two other correction officers. One pleaded guilty and the other awaits trial next month.
Defense lawyer Anthony Ricco said Martinez would appeal.
“It’s a tragedy all around,” he said.
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