One of two men involved in sexual assault incident is sentenced

One of two men charged in a sexual assault incident in Palmerton and who previously pleaded guilty was sentenced to a county prison term on Tuesday.

Jose Antonio Corripio Martinez, 36, of Jim Thorpe, was sentenced by President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II to serve three to one day less 24 months in prison on a charge of indecent assault.

Corripio Martinez and Rafael Alberto Escobar-Garcia, 40, of Palmerton, were both charged by Palmerton police with felony sexual assault, felony aggravated indecent assault, and misdemeanor indecent assault.

Arresting officer Detective Kevin Buck, said that on the morning of Feb. 16, 2016, the then 18-year-old woman came to the department to report that she had been sexually assaulted at a party in mid-December. The victim said that she brought food to the party, had a few drinks, and told Corripio Martinez and Escobar-Garcia that she did not feel well.

She said that she went to sleep but was awakened by the defendants groping her.

Both defendants allegedly proceeded to sexually assault the victim, despite her telling them to stop.

Corripio Martinez and Escobar-Garcia were interviewed by Buck, as well as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation officer Ana Sanchez on Feb. 22. The defendants reported that any sexual acts were consensual.

Escobar-Garcia said that he could not recall all of the details of the evening due to being highly intoxicated.

Corripio Martinez said that the victim had told him earlier on during the party that she was “OK with everything.”

In exchange for the plea the district attorney’s office dropped two felony counts of sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault in favor of the misdemeanor 2 count of indecent assault. A misdemeanor 3 count of furnishing alcohol to a minor was also dropped.

Corripio Martinez told Nanovic, “I’m very sorry for what I did. I hurt a lot of people.”

He said he has been a resident of the United States for the past 13 years. Attorney Jennifer Lynn Rapa, of the public defender’s office, said that immigration officials have a detainer on him and he is facing possible deportation back to Mexico.

The victim read a statement to the court telling of the physical and emotional toll it took on her. She said the encounter was not consensual as Corripio Martinez claimed.

Nanovic told the defendant, “You took advantage of a young girl.”

Nanovic also ordered the defendant to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations, submit to a sexual offender’s evaluation, supply a DNA sample, pay court costs of about $1,000, pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole. Under the provisions of Megan’s Law he must register as a sexual offender for the next 15 years. An evaluation by the state sexual offender’s assessment board determined he was not a violent sexual predator. Had the board determined he was a sexual violent predator, the registration period would have been for life.

He was given credit for 245 days already spent in jail on the charges. Although he has served his minimum, he still faces an immigration proceeding to determine if he is to be deported.

Escobar Garcia was also scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday on an indecent assault count but that proceeding was continued by his attorney.