U.S. Extradites First
Salvadoran National
A Salvadoran national who fled Texas rather
than serve a sentence for sexual assault was
returned to the United States Friday,
marking the first extradition from El
Salvador, the Justice Department said.
Jose Marvin Martinez, was convicted in March
2006 in Brazoria County, Texas, on two sex
charges, including sexual assault on a
child. Martinez, who was free on bond during
the trial, was sentenced to eight years in
prison and 10 years of community
supervision, Justice officials said. But
before the jury deliberated his case,
Martinez fled.
Martinez was arrested in El Salvador in
January 2008. In December, the Supreme Court
of Justice in El Salvador ruled 10 to 5 to
extradite Martinez to the United States, the
Justice Department said. The United States
and El Salvador have a bilateral extradition
treaty. El Salvador amended its constitution
in July 2000 to allow the extradition of
Salvadoran nationals.
"Today's extradition brings a criminal to
justice and paves the way forward in our law
enforcement partnership with El Salvador,"
said Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer
of the Criminal Division in a statement.
"The long arm of the law reaches farther
with every successful extradition to and
from the United States, as we work with our
partners around the world to make sure
criminals cannot find safe haven from
justice."
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