Boise Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

BOISE - Richard Martinez, Jr., 39, of Boise, Idaho, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court for failing to register as a sex offender, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.  Martinez was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 11, 2015.

According to the plea agreement, Martinez was convicted in July 2011, of possession of child pornography by the Department of the Army.  As a result of the conviction, Martinez was required to register and update his registration under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).  Martinez was previously convicted of failing to register as a sex offender in Ada County, Idaho in 2015.  After release from custody in February of 2015, Martinez registered as a sex offender with the State of Idaho, listing his residence as a hotel in Boise.  Martinez confirmed this as his residence with the State of Idaho in April and June 2015.  However, Martinez moved from the hotel in May of 2015, and did not update his registration.  Boise Police Detectives arrested Martinez in Garden City, Idaho on July 8, 2015.  Martinez subsequently admitted that he had moved approximately 4-6 weeks earlier and had not updated his registry as required.

The charge of failure to register as a sex offender is punishable by up to ten years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000.00, and five years up to lifetime supervised release.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 6, 2016 before visiting U.S. District Judge Dee V. Benson. 

The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the Boise Police Department, and the Idaho Department of Corrections, Bureau of Probation and Parole.

Richard Martinez, Jr. was prosecuted for a violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) passed by Congress in 2006.  The Act requires sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction where they reside.  Violations of SORNA can be prosecuted in federal court.