Man arrested on suspicion of 1996 child sexual abuse in Sunnyvale; authorities say there may be more victims

SUNNYVALE — A 59-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl in Sunnyvale nearly 30 years ago, and authorities said they’ve identified two additional victims.

Richard Jeffery Martinez, a current resident of San Jose, was arrested Monday. In a news release, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety said the 1996 assault of a 7-year-old took place in the Cherry Orchard neighborhood, near Highway 82.

Authorities said Martinez, who was in his early 30s at the time of the alleged assault, was identified through forensic genealogy and an extensive investigation. They did not provide additional details.

After Monday’s arrest, police said they identified two additional victims that were assaulted by Martinez as children. Authorities said they believe there could be additional victims.

Information on specific charges filed against Martinez was not available Wednesday morning.

Anyone with additional information about these cases are asked to contact Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Detective Matthew Hutchison at 408-730-7100.