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FORMER MUSKOGEE CITY INSPECTOR PLEADS GUILTY

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- An eastern Oklahoma man plead guilty today to using his authority as a city housing inspector to take advantage of and sexually abuse African American women, announced the Justice Department.

James Martin, the former city inspector of Muskogee, Oklahoma, plead guilty to a three count information, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Muskogee. The information included counts of obstruction of justice and civil rights charges relating to sexual assaults. The Justice Department investigated allegations that Martin, who is white, used his authority as the city inspector to gain access to the homes of numerous African American women, whom he then sexually assaulted.

"This kind of behavior is unacceptable," said Bill Lann Lee, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "We will not hesitate to prosecute individuals who use their public authority to sexually abuse women."

During the hearing in which he plead guilty, Martin admitted to exposing himself, and grabbing one woman whom he attempted to coerce into engaging in sexual conduct in exchange for favorable rulings on building permits. He also admitted to having forcibly touched another woman's genitals against her will while he was acting in his official capacity.

Under today's plea agreement, Martin has ten days to resign from his position as the city inspector in Checotah, Oklahoma, and can no longer seek public office or future positions of public trust. The maximum sentence for the charges Martin plead guilty to is 12 years in prison, although his final sentence will be determined by the judge in accordance with the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated and the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.

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