This may be one of the most bizarre drug cases in Wayne County history. It was October 20th, 1986. State Police had received information that Leopoldo Martinez Jr., age 32 at the time, was attempting to sell three kilos of powdered cocaine from a residence at 177 Frey Street in Newark.
Apparently, Martinez was satisfied with making a single sale for the entire lot of cocaine for $28,000. An undercover buyer went in to close the deal and police swept in grabbing the Clinton, New Jersey drug dealer and his contraband.
Martinez was jailed on charges of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the 1st Degree. Under New York State’s then harsh drug laws, Martinez, along with co-defendants were going to serve some serious time behind bars.
Martinez was indicted for Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 1st degree, on March 19, 1987, and he later pled guilty to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 2nd degree, on May 5, 1988, and as part of that guilty plea Martinez agreed to forfeit the Jeep Wagoneer that he used to deliver the cocaine.
Martinez decided the best course of action was to plead guilty, with the understanding he would be given the lighter sentence of 3 1/2 years to life in state prison.
When Martinez did not appear for his sentencing in front of Judge Strobridge on June 27, 1988, nor on July 18, 1988, Martinez was then sentenced in absentia to 8 1/3 to life in prison and the $30,000 bail that he had posted was forfeited.
Move forward 30 years. Martinez was picked up on a traffic violation in the Boston, Massachusetts area. A record check showed he was wanted on the old warrant and New York State Police were notified. In the hours that followed, a Boston, Massachusetts area judge arraigned Martinez and put a $100 bail on him. He posted bail and again disappeared.
Martinez did contact and hire a Rochester lawyer, Donald Thompson, to represent him at a preliminary hearing last Tuesday (4/5) in Wayne County Court. The lawyer showed up, but alas, Martinez was again a no-show. Thompson questioned whether the original sentence and plea were legal. The District Attorney’s Office assured him everything was legal 30 years ago.
Wayne County Assistant District Attorney, Chris Bokelman did not mince words over the Massachusetts area judge’s decision to let a convicted major drug seller out on a $100 cash bail. “We could have driven up there and gotten him in five hours. Now, we may never see him again. We’re not sure if he is in New Jersey, Massachusetts, or Rochester.” Martinez Rochester lawyer was told by family members that he is “suicidal” over any possible incarceration from the case 30 years ago.
State Police/Western C-Net Investigator Scott Shepard, has adopted the case. He is attempting to trace Martinez, now age 62, history since his absconding sentencing 30 years ago. According to Healy, if Martinez either turns himself in, or is captured, the judge would remand him straight to prison to begin serving his sentence. Healy said the co-defendants in the case pled guilty and served various time behind bars, but Martinez, being the main supplier/distributor received the stiffest penalty in the case.
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