WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii – An Army non-commissioned officer who pleaded guilty to secretly recording family members and guests in his home was sentenced by a military judge to five and a half years in prison during his court-martial at the Wheeler Army Airfield courtroom Nov. 5-6. There are 17 victims in this case.
Staff Sergeant Oscar Martinez, 31, assigned to the 8th Military Police Brigade, Schofield, Barracks, was also reduced in rank to E-1 and received a dishonorable discharge from the Army.
In addition to the indecent recording charges, he also pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.
While living on Schofield Barracks from May 2022 through Dec. 2023, Martinez placed a hidden camera disguised as a phone charger in the guest bathroom of his home. He used it to record people in various states of undress without their knowledge while using his guest bathroom.
The victims range from family members, friends, the dog sitter, and junior Soldiers who would watch his dogs.
One of the servicemember victims noticed the glare of the hidden camera and filed a report with the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division. Army CID investigators conducted a digital forensic extraction and retrieved the secretly recorded videos of the victims.
“Bathrooms are among the most private spaces we use. Private Martinez’s decision to invade such private spaces is not only a violation of the law, but a violation of basic human dignity,” said Capt. Matthew McCoy, prosecutor, Seventh Circuit, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. “We hope this conviction sends a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated.”
“We wear clothes for a reason. There are bathroom doors for a reason. The bathroom is a place of absolute privacy. Criminals who violate that privacy will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Capt. Jonathan Hesterman, prosecutor, 8th Theater Sustainment Command.
“Private Martinez’s actions flew directly in the face of the trust we place in our NCO Corps to coach, train, and mentor junior Soldiers,” said Capt. Chris Chick, prosecutor, 8th Theater Sustainment Command. “We hope this sentence deters other would-be offenders from using their rank and position to prey on their peers throughout the formation.”
Martinez will service his confinement at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth. Upon release from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements.
This case was investigated by Army CID’s Pacific Field Office and prosecuted by McCoy, Hesterman and Chick.
The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel is comprised of specially trained military lawyers, legal professionals and support staff responsible for the expert and independent prosecution of murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, kidnapping and other serious criminal offenses. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., OSTC has eight regional headquarters that oversee 28 field offices located across the country to include Europe and Korea. For more information visit https://www.army.mil/ostc.
If you would like to report a crime, have information about a crime, or have been the subject or survivor of a crime, you can submit anonymous tips to Army CID at www.p3tips.com/armycid.