Detroit Police Officer Facing Federal Child Porn Charges

DETROIT (WWJ) - A Detroit police officer is facing federal charges involving online child porn.

According to an eight-page criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit, a search warrant was executed Tuesday at the Trenton home of Officer Miguel Angel Martinez — who is now charged with possession, distribution, and receipt of child pornography.

The case came to light through the work of an undercover sergeant with the Reno, Nevada Sheriff's Office, who reported he found some disturbing videos in a file sharing program from an IP address allegedly belonging to Martinez.

The complaint reports that 14 of those files "appear to depict minor children engaged in sexually explicit behavior," sometimes with adult men.

[View a copy of the complaint.**Note: Document includes some explicit details]

Computers items were taken from Martinez's home during Tuesday's search, on Ridge View Drive in Trenton.

In an interview with federal agents Tuesday, Martinez allegedly admitted that he used the file sharing program and "may have seen" child porn files.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said as soon as the FBI informed him of the charges against Martinez, the officer was suspended with pay.

The chief called the allegations "troubling."

"Anytime a police officer makes a decision to engage in alleged criminal acts — and this one is particularly troubling — certainly it's a stain on the Detroit Police Department," Craig said.

"(It's) not reflective of the entire organization," he added. "I can tell you that the men and women who wear the uniform are as troubled."

Craig said Martinez has been a uniformed patrol officer with the DPD for 29 years.