An Higuey city court sentenced public school teacher 35-year old John Kelly Martinez to 20 years in jail for the violent sex outing on 12 February 2023 that led to the death of one of his students. His lawyers had expected a five-year sentence for sexual abuse, while the family said they had hoped the judge would order the maximum sentence of 30 years in jail.
The Criminal Chamber of the La Altagracia Judicial Department read its decision on Thursday, 14 March 2024. Teacher John Kelly Martínez had been accused of rape and sexual assault in the case of the 16-year old teenager Esmeralda Richiez, who died when bleeding to death after a brutal sexual relationship.
The defendant’s lawyers had expected a sentence of no more than five years in prison because “we have established that there was consent and that was demonstrated with the arguments of the experts and witnesses.”
The educator was accused of violating articles 265, 266, 302, 303, 303-4, 331 of the Dominican Penal Code, as well as article 396 literals A, B, C, of Law 136-03 of the Code for the System of Protection of the Fundamental Rights of Boys, Girls and Adolescents and articles 66 and 67, of Law 631-16 on the Control and Regulation of Weapons and Related Materials.
It is recalled that the case caused consternation in the country, due to the manner of death and because a public school educator was involved.
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18 March 2024