Self-proclaimed millionaire pleads guilty to assaulting woman, is released pending sentence

SALT LAKE CITY — A jury trial scheduled to start Tuesday was abruptly canceled when the defendant agreed to a last-minute plea deal.

Ramone Marcio Martinez, 41, was arrested in 2021 for allegedly holding a woman in his house for several weeks, assaulting her on multiple occasions during that time, and threatening to kill her family members.

In March 2022, the self-proclaimed millionaire pleaded not guilty to 10 charges, including aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony; two counts of aggravated assault, second-degree felonies; and attempted felony discharge of a firearm, a class A misdemeanor.

A jury was selected Monday. But on Tuesday morning, when the trial was set to begin, Martinez pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, which was amended to a third-degree felony. He also pleaded guilty to two additional counts of aggravated assault, both third-degree felonies.

In exchange, the remaining charges were dropped and Martinez was released pending sentencing, on the condition that he wear a GPS-tracking ankle monitor.

Martinez appeared in the courtroom restrained with a waist chain but wearing a lavender dress shirt and a gray vest. He also used a walker.

Defense attorney Randall Richards said his client will travel to Arizona before his sentencing to set his affairs in order.

When 3rd District Court Judge Dianna Gibson read a finding of facts, Randall said Martinez pleaded guilty to these particular charges only for the purposes of moving forward with the plea deal.

"He doesn't fully agree that this all happened," Randall said.

Martinez's sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 2. Each charge carries a possible sentence of zero to five years at the Utah State prison, and the sentences could run consecutively, Gibson said.

Martinez was arrested in December after police say the victim texted a friend that she was being held against her will. The friend then called police.

"The victim had texted him begging for help and (saying) that she was scared for her life," according to a police booking affidavit.

When police arrived at Martinez's house, he opened the door and "had his hand in his hoodie pocket and I could see the outline of a handgun which he was holding onto. I ordered him to put his hands in the air and he complied," the officer wrote in the affidavit.

Officers found the woman who "had heavy bruising around both eyes and she stated her ribs were hurting and that she had difficulty breathing. She stated that over a period of several weeks she was threatened to be killed and was assaulted. During this time she was unable to leave or go anywhere freely," the affidavit states.

The woman told police she had been assaulted six times the previous day alone. On two occasions she was choked to the point of losing consciousness, the affidavit states, once by Martinez using his hands and the other by his foot.

"At another point in time (he) grabbed the victim and held a knife to her throat. Again at another point in time, (Martinez) grabbed a knife and carved the number '6' into the victim's left hand stating that she had six months to love him or be killed. And, lastly, at some point during the day, the victim stated (Martinez) grabbed a gun and pointed it at her head," according to the affidavit.

Police noted that Martinez has "many firearms and has access to a large amount of money to gain access to more firearms if he chooses. (He) also threatened to go to Mexico and chop up the victim's brother" as well as attack the woman's mother, the affidavit states.

Martinez has businesses in California, Oregon and Arizona, where police say he also has a second house and was planning on taking the woman there the day he was arrested.

"(Martinez) also stated he is a millionaire, giving him access to flights and other means of travel which would enable him to flee," police wrote.

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