Suspects have no prior sex charges
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Of the four people named so far in connection with a child sex ring in Clovis, none are listed on the state’s sex offender registry and only one has an extensive criminal history, according to New Mexico computerized case records.
The records include convictions dating to 1997 and some before that.
None of the suspects’ computerized criminal histories in New Mexico are related to child sex acts.
One of the accused, Jeanette Martin, 44, has no criminal history in New Mexico since at least 1997, records show. Martin faces the least serious charge, one count of child abuse, and is free on bond.
Her husband Billy Martin, 49, has only one criminal conviction — failure to carry automobile insurance in 1996 — according to the computerized records. He was arrested Sept. 30 and charged with child abuse and criminal sexual contact with a minor less than 13.
The man facing the most serious charges in connection with the child-sex acts, Anastacio Esquebel, 21, also has few known encounters with New Mexico police. His prior known criminal history stemmed from a traffic stop and failure to appear in court.
Esquebel is being held in the Curry County Adult Detention Center on a $1 million bond, accused of multiple counts of criminal sexual penetration and contact of a minor under 12.
Harry Robbs, 40, has so far eluded police despite a warrant recently issued for his arrest, charging him with multiple counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor less than 13.
Robbs has had four prior criminal cases, dating to 1997. Those crimes range from larceny to drug possession and driving while intoxicated, but none involve sex acts with children, the records show.
Clovis police chief Bill Carey said he couldn’t comment on any convictions the four suspects may have received in other states.
While such data would be listed in National Crime Information Center records, Carey said NCIC data can’t legally be released to the public and some states, including Texas, do not maintain a statewide database of crime information for public access.
Police have said they believe at least 18 girls between the ages of 6 and 13 were victims of a sex “club” that operated out of a home at 700 E. 10th St.
The first arrest was made Sept. 22. Neighbors, who said children were lured to the house with toys and candy, have said they’ve been concerned about activities at the house since the spring.
Police say they have additional suspects, but no arrests have been made since Tuesday.
