Springfield man gets nine life sentences for 20 counts of child sexual abuse

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Springfield man has been sentenced to nine life sentences after being found guilty on 20 counts of child sexual abuse.

Online court records show that Edward Martinez was in court for sentencing on Jan. 9, 2025 and was sentenced on the following charges:

1. second-degree child molestation - jail for one year and a fine
2. second-degree child molestation - jail for one year and a fine
3. first-degree attempted statutory rape - 15 years
4. second-degree child molestation - five years
5. first-degree child molestation - seven years
6. first-degree child molestation - seven years
7. first-degree child molestation - seven years
8. first-degree child molestation - seven years
9. first-degree child molestation - seven years
10. first-degree child molestation - seven years
11. first-degree statutory sodomy - life imprisonment
12. first-degree statutory sodomy - life imprisonment
13. first-degree statutory sodomy - life imprisonment
14. first-degree statutory sodomy - life imprisonment
15. first-degree statutory rape - life imprisonment
16. first-degree statutory rape- life imprisonment
17. first-degree statutory sodomy - life imprisonment
18. first-degree statutory sodomy - life imprisonment
19. first-degree statutory sodomy - life imprisonment
20. sexual misconduct involving a child - seven years

The judge ordered the sentences to be served consecutively.

A jury found Martinez guilty on all 20 counts in October 2024.

Prosecutors initially charged Martinez with three counts of statutory sodomy and two counts of sexual misconduct in 2021 after he allegedly abused an eight-year-old and a four-year-old.

The Republic Police Department (RPD) discovered during its investigation that there were as many as 13 alleged victims of Martinez and abuse starting as far back as 1996.

Additional charges were added to the case against Martinez in 2022 after additional victims came forward.