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Today marked a first. For better or worse, it was a first involving a dude who had sex with his 14-year-old daughter, but still, it's a first.
The first extradition from El Salvador to the U.S. happened, and it involved a Brazoria County man.
Jose Marvin Martinez was convicted of one count of sexual assault on a child and one count of indecency with a child in 2006, but escaped to El Salvador. He was arrested there two years ago, and negotiations have been underway ever since to bring him back. El Salvador amended its constitution 10 years ago to allow such moves.
Complicating the issue was that there is no El Salvador law similar to the "indecency with a child" charge Martinez was convicted on. Eventually, though, the El Salvadoran government agreed to ship him back on the sexual-assault charge.
He went into U.S. custody today.
"Today's extradition brings a criminal to justice and paves the way forward in our law enforcement partnership with El Salvador," said assistant attorney general Lanny Breuer of the Department of Justice's criminal division. "This first extradition from El Salvador to the United States marks a turning point in our continued efforts to strengthen our joint efforts to hold criminals accountable."
Martinez had been sentenced to eight years in prison for the sexual-assault charge.
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