Published 10:01am Thursday, February 4, 2016

By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – An Alabaster man is facing up to life in prison after he was arrested by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and charged with raping and sexually abusing an 11-year-old victim.



The SCSO arrested Rafael Gonzalez Martinez, who lists an address in Alabaster’s Camp Branch community, on Feb. 1 and charged him with felony counts of first-degree rape and sexual abuse of a child younger than 11 years old. Martinez does not list a date of birth in court documents.

First-degree rape is a Class A felony, and carries a maximum sentence of life in prison upon conviction, and sexual abuse of a child younger than 12 is a Class B felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

According to Martinez’ arrest warrants, his charges stem from an August 2015 incident during which he allegedly submitted the underage victim to sexual contact and intercourse.

Shelby County District Court Judge Bill Bostick set Martinez’ bond higher than normal at the request of the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office. In its request to increase the suspect’s bond, the District Attorney’s Office claimed Martinez is a flight risk because he “is in this country illegally and has no ties to the community.”

Martinez currently is being held in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling $200,000. He is set to appear in Shelby County District Court on Thursday, March 3, at 8:30 a.m. for a preliminary hearing.

http://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/...ild-sex-abuse/