Posted 2:00 am Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Former Rusk Sheriff Sentenced To 78 Months
By STEPHANIE JETER
Staff Writer
Former Rusk County Sheriff's Deputy Kenneth Calvin Martin was sentenced to 78 months in prison Tuesday for possession of child pornography.
His entrance into U.S. District Judge Michael Schneider's courtroom for sentencing was one as a handcuffed convict rather than a previous sworn-in lawman.
Martin pleaded guilty to the crime in federal court Aug. 30 after 12 video clips and 23 digital images containing explicit material involving a minor were found in his possession, the U.S. Attorney's Office previously said.
Some of the illegal images were downloaded to his patrol car laptop, the office said.
A federal search warrant allowed officers to later seize and examine Martin's home computer, the office said.
Rusk County Sheriff Glen Deason previously said that Martin was dismissed as a deputy shortly after April 30 when the files were discovered.
Dressed in prison-stripes, Martin apologized to the court for "putting everybody through this," especially his family.
Martin said the months following his arrest have been harder on his wife and two children than on him.
Judge Schneider told the court that he had received several letters from Martin's friends and family supporting the former deputy despite the gravity of the crime.
After the 78 months are complete, Judge Schneider sentenced Martin to five years supervised release.
Martin will not be able to possess a firearm or other weapon and will not have unsupervised visits with children under 18-years-old unless chaperoned by an approved adult, Judge Schneider said.
Martin's possessions will be subject to search and his computer passwords and user names are to be disclosed.
Maximum punishment would have been 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Judge Schneider dismissed the fine saying Martin could not afford it.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Hurst prosecuted the case.
In defense was Longview attorney Darryl Bennett.
Staff Writer
Former Rusk County Sheriff's Deputy Kenneth Calvin Martin was sentenced to 78 months in prison Tuesday for possession of child pornography.
His entrance into U.S. District Judge Michael Schneider's courtroom for sentencing was one as a handcuffed convict rather than a previous sworn-in lawman.
Martin pleaded guilty to the crime in federal court Aug. 30 after 12 video clips and 23 digital images containing explicit material involving a minor were found in his possession, the U.S. Attorney's Office previously said.
Some of the illegal images were downloaded to his patrol car laptop, the office said.
A federal search warrant allowed officers to later seize and examine Martin's home computer, the office said.
Rusk County Sheriff Glen Deason previously said that Martin was dismissed as a deputy shortly after April 30 when the files were discovered.
Dressed in prison-stripes, Martin apologized to the court for "putting everybody through this," especially his family.
Martin said the months following his arrest have been harder on his wife and two children than on him.
Judge Schneider told the court that he had received several letters from Martin's friends and family supporting the former deputy despite the gravity of the crime.
After the 78 months are complete, Judge Schneider sentenced Martin to five years supervised release.
Martin will not be able to possess a firearm or other weapon and will not have unsupervised visits with children under 18-years-old unless chaperoned by an approved adult, Judge Schneider said.
Martin's possessions will be subject to search and his computer passwords and user names are to be disclosed.
Maximum punishment would have been 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Judge Schneider dismissed the fine saying Martin could not afford it.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Hurst prosecuted the case.
In defense was Longview attorney Darryl Bennett.
