Former Police Officer Sentenced To Prison Time For Forcing Teens To Strip To Avoid Arrest

When former Miccosukee Police Officer Michael Martinez pulled over two 18-year-olds at the time of the incident named Kyle Shoulta and Remy Riley, he discovered alcohol and marijuana in their vehicle. He then forced both of them to strip and run naked to avoid being arrested.

The former Florida cop is set to serve 10 years in prison after a sentencing hearing last week.

Martinez was reportedly convicted of extortion and unlawful compensation back in 2019, the Broward Palm Beach New Times reported in 2019.

A spokesperson for the Miccosukee Police Department reportedly revealed to Oxygen that they are not releasing any information on the case on Tuesday. They also said they could not confirm that Martinez even worked for the department.

Shoulta was in attendance during Thursday’s sentencing hearing and was seated directly across from the former officer.

“One of the victims actually made his way down here today because he wanted to see this to get some sort of sense of closure,” prosecutor Chris Killoran said, according to Miami local station WSVN 7 News.

Shoulta testified in 2019 that he “was given a choice of go to jail or run, so I took the choice to run naked.”

The teen couple was reportedly en route to a concert when Martinez pulled them over in 2016. Shoulta reportedly ran through a red light. There was allegedly marijuana and alcohol in their car. 

Instead of arresting the couple, Martinez lured them to a remote area where he instructed them to strip and then run naked. He told them that doing this would get them out of the arrest. 

“I took my pants off. I took my shirt off,” Riley said on the stand in 2019, according to WSVN. “I kind of looked at him like, ‘Is this enough?’ He’s like, ‘That’s it?’ I turned around from them. I turned away. I took my underwear off. I took my bra off.”

According to the Miami New Times, Martinez allegedly tried to force Riley to engage in a sex act.

Martinez was originally sentenced to 10 years in 2019 following his conviction, but he tried to appeal that decision. Reportedly court records from March show that the appeal was denied. Martinez was taken into custody on Thursday.

Martinez filed a motion for post-conviction relief on Friday, according to Law & Crime.