DPS Responds To Child Sex Abuse Allegations For Former Principal
DENVER (CBS4)- Denver Public Schools has responded to the child sex abuse allegations of one of its former principals who was arrested on Wednesday.
Timothy Jason Martinez, a former Albuquerque, New Mexico, school administrator faces child sex abuse charges in Colorado. He was booked into a Denver jail a day after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest.
Denver County Jail records show Martinez was booked Wednesday on a no-bond hold. Authorities say he violated the terms of an earlier bond agreement when he left the state without court permission.
Martinez worked for Denver Public Schools for 10 years, ending in 2012. He was hired as Albuquerque's deputy schools superintendent in June before a background check was completed, and he resigned last week.
Martinez was arrested in Denver in the sex abuse case in 2013. Neither of the alleged victims was connected to his employment at the district.
DPS released this statement regarding Martinez: Denver Public Schools' first priority is the safety and well-being of our students. When we became aware of the criminal charges pending against Timothy Jason Martinez, we immediately investigated and can confirm there is no record of any alleged criminal activity or disciplinary action involving Martinez during his employment with us from July 1, 2002 through Jan. 3, 2012.
Prior to hiring Martinez, DPS conducted a background check, which included submitting Martinez' fingerprints to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. According to the CBI, Martinez was fingerprinted by the Colorado Department of Education in 1998. If any arrests take place after fingerprints are on file, the CBI is required to notify the employer during the background check.
During his tenure at DPS, Martinez served as principal of Dora Moore ECE-8 School, as an Instructional Superintendent and as Deputy of Academic Operations in Elementary Education. Martinez was not arrested while working as an employee of Denver Public Schools. Denver Police records show that his first arrest took place on July 18, 2013.
The Denver District Attorney's Office has informed us that none of the victims in any of the alleged crimes are related to his work in Denver Public Schools.
Any parents who have any questions or concerns, please contact the school system's Family Constituency Helpline at 720-423-3054.
