Fired Harris County deputy charged in Ecstasy case

Jesus Martinez, 30, faces as much as 20 years in prison. Jesus Martinez, 30, faces as much as 20 years in prison. Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Fired Harris County deputy charged in Ecstasy case 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A now-fired Harris County sheriff's deputy faces federal charges for allegedly aiding in the delivery of the drug Ecstasy.

Jesus Martinez, 30, of Humble, is accused of assisting others who were pushing Ecstasy tablets in the area in late July, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Houston. The one-count indictment, filed Sept. 12, was unsealed Thursday after Martinez surrendered to federal authorities.

If convicted, he faces as much as 20 years in prison and a fine up to $1 million.

Martinez had been with the Harris County Sheriff's Office since 2007 On Friday, the agency confirmed his termination.

"Every single one of the employees at the HCSO is expected to obey the law and play by the rules. If an employee becomes involved in criminal behavior then they should know that we will do everything in our power to make sure we find them the jail cell they deserve," Sheriff Adrian Garcia said in a statement. "Mr. Martinez owes an apology to his colleagues, his co-workers and the residents of Harris County. His actions have tainted the good work of our deputies who risk their lives every day to keep Harris County safe."

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