Full Notification

** NEWS RELEASE **
August 31, 2010

Charges filed in Courthouse threats

Today charges were filed in the arrest of Steven Anthony Martinez age 22, D.O.B. 3-20-88 after detectives following up on leads in the case, received a tip that he made the threatening calls in reference to the threats at the First Judicial District Courthouse. The tip was given to law enforcement from a confidential informant.

Late last night Steven confessed to making the phone calls and today he was charged with:

Count I: use of a telephone to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend
Count II: resisting, evading, or obstructing an officer.

The Warrant was signed by Magistrate Judge Sandra Miera and a bond has been set at 1(one) million dollars in cash.

Sheriff Solano was pleased with the arrest by his investigators but states, “I am unhappy that we could only charge Mr. Martinez with misdemeanor charges”. “ I ask that the legislature at their next session take a serious look at creating a statute which would make threatening any public official or threats at a courthouse a forth degree felony”. Sheriff Solano went on to say that the costs to the public, the fear, and the disruption to the public of an event like this warrants a felony charge.