Minnesota man will change plea in Grand Forks County gross sexual imposition case
May 23—GRAND FORKS — A Minnesota man's Thursday, May 23, final dispositional conference in Grand Forks County court was canceled because he plans to change his plea in the gross sexual imposition case.
Manuel Martinez Jr., 47, is charged with four counts of Class AA felony gross sexual imposition-victim under the age of 15-defendant at least 22. He faces up to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the crimes.
Martinez is accused of sexually abusing four juvenile girls while he lived in Grand Forks. Charges were filed in June 2023, but the alleged crimes spanned from 2012 to 2021, according to a probable cause statement filed in the case. The youngest alleged victim was approximately six years old when the abuse began, the statement said.
Martinez confessed the abuse to law enforcement and said he hated himself for what he did, the statement said.
"I ruined their lives," he allegedly said.
Martinez's plea change hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on June 3. A proposed plea agreement has not been filed.
