Less than a year in jail for Fresno man who had child pornography videos
A Fresno man who had one of the largest collections of child pornography reported by local law enforcement will spend several months behind bars for the felony charge.
Michael Wayne Martin, 57, was sentenced Tuesday to 180 days in jail, as well as two years of formal probation, and ordered to register as a sex offender under California law. The sentence was issued by Fresno County Superior Court Judge Leanne Le Mon.
Martin was arrested in May 2021 after detectives armed with a search warrant searched his apartment and discovered a trove of more than 1,000 DVDs containing videos of children being raped, according to a Fresno County Sheriff’s Office news release issued after his arrest.
Investigators reported that the video discs and other material, including electronic devices and books full of explicit images and videos, were stacked to the ceiling in a closet in the apartment.
Martin’s attorney Ernest Scott Kinney disputed that information from the Sheriff’s Office. In an email to The Fresno Bee, Kinney said while his client did have more than a thousand porn videos, they were all legal adult pornography. Kinney said his client did have a flash drive in his closet that had some child porn photos and several videos.
Court records indicate that Martin had originally pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of possession or control of child pornography, but earlier this year changed his plea to no contest, avoiding a trial.
Court officials said Martin, who had been free on bail, was ordered into custody at the Fresno County Jail following the sentencing hearing.
Kinney confirmed that Martin received credit for one day already served in custody after his arrest.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s jail log indicates that Martin is eligible for release in December, also confirmed by Kinney.
Martin’s arrest was the result of an investigation by the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force.
The task force includes more than 64 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies spread throughout nine counties in California’s Central Valley. It is aimed at protecting children online and investigating crimes committed against children that are facilitated by the Internet and computer usage.
This story was originally published September 20, 2022 at 2:35 PM.
