Investigation of Falls police officer accused of rape will be reviewed by Niagara County grand jury

Rick Pfeiffer -, Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
·2 min read

May 3—LOCKPORT — The case of a Niagara Falls Police officer, charged in connection with three separate rapes in the Town of Niagara, is headed to a Niagara County grand jury.

Martice D. Porter, 21, of Niagara Falls, waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Town of Niagara Court and has now been released from custody on $20,000 bail. By waving his right to what is known as a "speedy hearing" to determine if there is sufficient evidence to charge a crime, Porter has agreed to have the case reviewed by a grand jury.

Porter has been charged in a criminal complaint with three counts of third-degree rape. The charges are all E-class felonies and he has pleaded not guilty to all of them.

He was taken into custody on April 22 by Niagara County Sheriff's Office investigators. Sheriff Michael Filicetti said Porter was arrested after speaking with his investigators.

"After speaking with him, investigators determined they had sufficient evidence to arrest him," Filicetti said.

Law enforcement sources said Falls police first received "complaints" about Porter more than a month ago. They said that when it was determined that the alleged crimes occurred in the Town of Niagara, the investigation was shifted to the sheriff's office.

Following the complaints, Porter, who worked as a patrol officer overnights on the C Platoon, was reportedly transferred to "modified duty" and taken off the streets. In the aftermath of his arrest, Porter has been placed on a 30-day administrative leave.

Sheriff's investigators said the complaints against Porter involved a juvenile victim and did not take place while he was on duty as a Falls officer. No other details of the allegations against Porter have been released.

The criminal investigation into the case is described as "ongoing." Falls police say they have started their own internal affairs investigation of Porter.

Porter was a graduate of the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy's 80th Basic Training Class in August 2023. He was a pre-employment graduate of the academy and was hired shortly after graduation by the Lewiston Police Department.

In November, he transferred to the Falls Police Department.