Child Sex Crimes Investigation Results In Four-count Indictment - 12/21/18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 

DECEMBER 21, 2018

Child sex crimes investigation results in four count indictment

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that a grand jury returned a four-count Jessica’s Law indictment against 41-year-old Carlos Martinez Barrera.

Jessica’s Law went into effect in 2006 and requires a 25 year mandatory minimum sentence for adults convicted of raping, sodomizing or sexually penetrating a child younger than 12 years old.

The indictment, which was filed on December 20, 2018, charges the defendant with two counts of rape in the first degree and two counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, which occurred between November 1, 2016 and November 1, 2018 when the child was under the age of 12.

This investigation started in November 2018 when a routine appointment resulted in medical professional observing potential signs of child abuse, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court. The child was taken to CARES Northwest, which is Multnomah County’s child abuse assessment center. Medical experts concluded that the victim was likely subjected to repeated sexual abuse trauma, according to court documents.

The probable cause affidavit states that as part of the investigation, law enforcement received a court authorized search warrant to obtain the defendant’s DNA. The forensic evidence, along with evidence collected at the child abuse assessment center, was submitted to the Oregon State Police (OSP) Forensic Services Division for analysis.

A DNA report concluded there is evidence that shows the defendant committed sex crimes against the child, according to court documents.

This case is being investigated by the Multnomah County Child Abuse Team and the Multnomah County Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team, which includes representatives from local law enforcement, public schools, hospitals, courts, health departments, the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS), and the Oregon Department of Employment Child Care Division. 

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team is responsible for reviewing and coordinating all child abuse and neglect cases in Multnomah County. The team also handles all child homicides, felony child physical abuse cases, felony child abandonment cases, custodial interference cases, and felony sex crimes where the victim is currently under the age of 18 and where the perpetrator is considered a family member.

This remains an on-going criminal investigation and as such, no additional information can be released by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director

Phone: 503.988.6567

Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us