Portville officer arrested on molestation charges

Deputies arrested a police sergeant in Tulare County on charges of molesting a child after finding him in a car with a teenage girl who is in a program for youth interested in law enforcement.|
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

PORTERVILLE - Deputies arrested a police sergeant in Central California on charges of molesting a child after finding him in a car with a teenage girl who is in a program for youth interested in law enforcement.

The Tulare County Sheriff's Office said deputies checking on a suspicious vehicle report Sunday night found Porterville Sgt. Wayne Martin in a car with the 17-year-old girl. The girl told them she is an Explorer scout with the Porterville Police Department, which Martin oversees.

Martin was arrested on three counts of annoying or molesting a person under 18 and one count of arranging to meet with a minor for lewd activity. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

Porterville Police Chief Eric Kroutil called the arrest "shocking" and promised a thorough investigation.

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