Accused Napa Child 'Predator' Held On $1M Bail, Police Say

NAPA, CA — A 35-year-old Napa man is being held in lieu of $1-million bail at Napa County jail following his arrest last week on suspicion of child molestation. Detectives with the Napa Police Department took Flemin Fernando Martinez into custody just after 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, in the area of Griggs Lane at Laurel Street, Napa police Sgt. Amy Hunter said Friday in a news release.

The investigation into Martinez began just hours before his arrest when the Napa County Child Welfare Department contacted Napa PD at 10 a.m. Wednesday about a girl who'd come forward and said she was sexually assaulted and was still in danger from the predator, police said.

"Napa detectives immediately started their investigation," Hunter said. "Utilizing the Courage Center, a child forensic interview was conducted by a specially trained detective from the Napa Police Department, working with Sexual Assault Victim Services (SAVS) advocate, the Napa District Attorney’s Office, and Napa County Child Welfare."

As a result of that interview and subsequent investigation, detectives identified and arrested Flemin Fernando Martinez, Hunter said.

Martinez was interviewed at the Napa Police Department, then booked into jail on suspicion of forcible rape of a child 14 years or younger, oral copulation of a child 10 years old or younger, lewd and lascivious act with child, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and lewd and lascivious act with child.

The Napa Police Department believes Martinez victimized several other children and is seeking the public's help in identifying those victims, police officials said.

According to Hunter's news release:

"While conducting the investigation, several of the Napa Police detectives noticed a similarity between this case and an unsolved child molest reported to the Napa Police Department in July 2019. Based on those similarities, the victim of the unsolved case was forensically interviewed the day after Martinez’ arrest.

"Detectives then re-interviewed Martinez at NCDC and confronted him with this additional case. The molestation allegations from the second victim occurred in 2011 at an apartment in the Creekside Park Apartments, 2600 block of 1st St, Napa, CA.

"Based on the on-going investigation, Martinez is believed to have molested two additional
juveniles. Those cases are currently under investigation.

"Due to the apparent access Martinez had to children while living in Napa, the Napa Police Department is requesting members in the community contact us as soon as possible if they believe Flemin Fernando Martinez may have had access to their children. Martinez lived in the City and County of Napa from approximately 2010 to present.

"Martinez lived in the Creekside Park Apartments from approximately 2010 to 2013, and at a home on Griggs Lane from 2013 until the time of his arrest.

"Detective Brandt Keown is the Lead Detective. If you have any information related to this investigation please contact him at bkeown@cityofnapa.org or 707-257-9592."