PPD sergeant arrested for inappropriate contact with minor
17-year-old victim was part of PPD’S Explorer program
A Porterville Police Department sergeant was arrested Sunday night after it was discovered he had been engaging in inappropriate contact with a person under the age of 18.
Tulare County Sheriff ’s Deputies were called out to the area of Jaye Street and Baker Avenue in Porterville Sunday evening for a suspicious vehicle check. When deputies arrived, they saw two cars parked in front of each other.
When the deputy approached one of the cars, he observed an adult male, along with a female, later determined to be a teenage girl. The man in the car identified himself to deputies as 33-year-old Wayne Martin, an offduty Porterville Police sergeant.
Martin was arrested on three counts of Annoying or Molesting a Person Under the Age of 18. His bail is set at $150,000.
Martin, a twelve year veteran of the department, is the Porterville Police Department’s Explorer Program supervisor and the 17-year-old female involved in this incident is an Explorer with the program.
Immediately following the arrest, Sheriff Mike Boudreaux contacted Porterville Police Chief Eric Kroutil. Both Sheriff Boudreaux and Chief Kroutil said they are committed to a fair and unbiased investigation of this incident.
“Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux and his staff are consummate professionals, and I have complete faith in their criminal investigation into this incident,” said Chief Kroutil. “Our department will cooperate fully with their investigation. I am shocked,
saddened and angry that Sergeant Martin has tarnished the image of the Porterville Police Department by his actions. His actions in no way reflect the values of the department or its employees and will not be tolerated.”
Kroutil also says that while it is believed that this incident is an isolated one, the entire program will be reviewed in depth to ensure that is the case.
Sheriff Boudreaux has asked Kings County officials to house Martin at the Kings County Jail, as Sergeant Martin likely has people he has arrested in the Tulare County Jail.
Along with the criminal investigation, the Porterville Police Department will be conducting an internal investigation to determine any policy violations committed by Sergeant Martin. Sergeant Martin has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the
outcome of the internal investigation.
Any questions regarding the details of Sergeant Martin's arrest should be directed to the Tulare County Sheriff's Office.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Sgt. J. Kennedy with the Tulare County Sheriff's Investigations Unit at (559) 802-9563. They can also call 24 hours a day at (559) 733-6218 or anonymously, by accessing the Tipnow page at tcso@tipnow.com.