Last month, a Dauphin County jury found Sergio Martinez, age 38, guilty of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.  Martinez assaulted his then-girlfriend twice in one day on May 4, 2019.  The victim testified that she was in a relationship with Martinez at the time. During the early morning hours of that day, Martinez began arguing with her about his suspicion of her cheating. She attempted to leave the conversation and Martinez struck her with a closed fist in the right eye, causing fractures to one side of her face. Later that night, Martinez returned and argued with her again over her injury and because she would not stop crying.  He climbed on top of her and began striking her with a closed fist again on the other side. 

As a result of the assault, the victim suffered multiple facial fractures and she underwent multiple facial reconstruction surgeries.  Senior Deputy Kristie Falbo prosecuted the case. On October 12, 2021, Judge Richard A. Lewis sentenced after receiving a presentence investigation.   Martinez had previously been convicted of aggravated assault and was facing a mandatory minimum sentence for his second felony crime of violence.  The prosecution asserted that, “this was a horrific domestic violence case, and the injuries were extensive.  The victim also endured an assault that was essentially two parts since over the course of the day there was the initial assault followed by the later one at night on the other side of the victim’s face.”  The victim provided a statement to the court that was read by the Commonwealth and detailed how the assault had greatly impacted her life.  She had severe pain at the time and suffers from depression, anxiety, and PTSD because of the incident. She also told the court how she has ongoing health issues from the injuries, facial scarring, and multiple surgeries. 

Judge Lewis noted that the testimony of the victim and the pictures of her injuries were very memorable.  He sentenced Martinez to 10 to 20 years in a State Correctional Institute and noted as reasons for the sentence that the offense arose from two separate incidents and the requirement for the mandatory minimum sentence triggered by his prior aggravated assault conviction.   Officer Anthony Cummings of the Harrisburg Bureau of Police investigated the case. 

The Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office asks anyone who is in danger due to an unsafe domestic situation to please reach out for help.  This case is an unfortunate example of the domestic violence cases we deal with every day and a true example of the dangers of a domestic violence situation and the cycle many victims experience daily.   If you find yourself in this type of situation, please reach out for assistance because help is available.

Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)