A Santa Maria man is in jail after the parents of three female children reported to police the suspected sexual abuse of at least two of their daughters.
The parents of the girls, ages 6 to 13, contacted police in December to report Carmelo Martinez, 56, of Santa Maria.
Police said Martinez is suspected of having sexually fondled at least two of the victims, whom he knew through a relationship with their relatives.
Martinez was arrested about 8:40 a.m. Thursday while at work in the 200 block of Roemer Way. Police served a search warrant at his residence, in the 600 block of East Church Street, where they recovered evidence. Police released no further information.
Martinez was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of child molestation in lieu of $250,000 bail.
— Noozhawk managing editor Michelle Nelson can be reached at mnelson@noozhawk.com.
