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Suspect In White Powder Scare Was Employee At Broomfield Business

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (CBS4) - Newly released documents are shedding light on why police in Broomfield believe two men allegedly planted white powder on a co-worker's desk.

More than 100 people had to evacuate from the Bright Horizons office building in Broomfield on Oct. 30 when an employee discovered a suspicious white powder on her desk.

Police say that powder was a sugar substitute, and they have now arrested a Bright Horizons employee.

According to court documents, John Martinez, 42, and his boyfriend Wade Stonier, 30, were discovered on surveillance video inside the building the night of Oct. 29.

That was the same day Martinez was placed on administrative leave for an accounting error.

John Martinez, Wade Stonier
John Martinez, left, and Wade Stonier, right (credit: Broomfield police)

The video also showed Martinez inside the victim's office and then taking documents from his own work area.

Employees identified Martinez in the video and police eventually tracked him down.

Martinez told police "He was placed on administrative leave from his employer and advised that he had filed a discrimination complaint against his company as he believes they are discriminating against him because he is gay."

Martinez also first "denied placing any substance on the desk" and then said "whoever was testing it would figure out what substance it was."

A CBS4 crew attempted to interview Martinez about the incident at his home on Thursday but they were told to contact his attorney.

Martinez has not been formally charged yet. The district attorney's office says it expects that will happen sometime next week.

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