Tooele man charged with inappropriately touching girl at Halloween attraction

LEHI — A Tooele man was charged Wednesday with inappropriately touching a teenage girl at a popular Halloween attraction at Thanksgiving Point last fall.

Jerman Arturo Martinez, 33, is charged in 4th District Court with sexual abuse of a child, a second-degree felony.

On Oct. 27, police say Martinez entered the haunted house at Cornbelly's, 3003 N. Thanksgiving Way. A 13-year-old girl was also going through the haunted house and told her friends that she was afraid, according to charging documents.

"(Martinez) told her that he would stand behind their group and she didn't need to be afraid," the charges state.

When the girl was frightened by an actor with a chainsaw, police say Martinez grabbed the girl's shoulder.

"The further that the group went into the haunted house, the tighter (Martinez) grabbed the victim's shoulders. At some point (his) hands moved from the victim's shoulders and slid down to the front of her shirt, over the clothing," the charges allege.

Police say Martinez continued to inappropriately touch the girl who was now crying and "visibly upset."

The girl told her friends and police what had happened.

Martinez was originally charged in Lehi Justice Court with intoxication. But the charge was dismissed two weeks later as Lehi police continued their investigation and prosecutors noted that the case was expected to be refiled in district court, according to court records.

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