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Police: Man hired stand-in
Officials say defendant feared being deported if found guilty
By STEPHEN GURR
Times regional staff

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Jorge Martinez was so anxious to avoid appearing in court for a DUI charge, Cumming police say, that he paid another man $1,000 to take the rap.

The 25-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico was stopped last week while driving his Ford F-150 pickup truck on Bald Ridge Road without a license, said Police Chief Mike Eason.

Sgt. Cullen LaFrance recognized Martinez as the same suspect he had arrested for DUI in August.

But Eason said it turned out that Martinez never made it to municipal court on that charge; a stand-in did.

"In the last case, he hired someone to come down and appear in court for him and plead guilty," Eason said.

The mystery man disappeared following the October court appearance without ever going to the local probation office to begin serving probation, part of the sentence for the DUI charge.

A probation officer met last week with Martinez, who admitted giving the false name of "Jose Hernandez" during his August arrest, officials said.

That was the same name police say his stand-in used in court and the name probation officials had on an arrest warrant for absconding.

The probation officer had not met Martinez prior to last week. LaFrance, the arresting officer, knew what Martinez looked like but wasn't required to appear at the October arraignment in municipal court, Eason said.

Eason said the stand-in likely went back to Mexico after pleading guilty.

Martinez refused last week to give the name of the man authorities believe he hired. According to police, he said he paid the man because he feared being deported if found guilty.

It wouldn't be the first time Martinez was deported. Eason said that immigration records show Martinez was deported about a year ago.

"He stayed a week (in Mexico) and came back," Eason said.

Martinez, who gave police an Oakland Street address, has a history of DUIs and other motor vehicle violations, Eason said.

Following his arrest last week, Martinez was charged again with DUI, as well as giving a false name and driving without a license.

He was released from the Forsyth County jail on $11,370 bond March 28, the day after he was arrested.

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