Chief pleads innocent

The police chief was secretly indicted by a grand jury.
& lt;a href=mailto:sinkovich@vindy.com & gt;By PEGGY SINKOVICH & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Fowler Township Police Chief James Martin entered innocent pleas to a 52-count indictment at his arraignment today on charges including dereliction of duty and misdemeanor assault.
A Trumbull County grand jury secretly indicted Martin earlier this week.
His bond was set at $2,500, and his pretrial hearing is set for Tuesday.
He is charged with 20 counts of dereliction of duty (misdemeanor); 11 counts of misdemeanor assault; seven counts of unauthorized photography (misdemeanor); 12 counts of using a sham legal process (misdemeanor); and two felony counts of theft in office.
Authorities said the charge of sham legal process means Martin showed juveniles a document that appeared official but in reality had no legal standing and was not lawfully issued.
State and federal officials are investigating Martin's juvenile diversion program, which used corporal punishment. The program was being operated out of the Fowler Township Police Department.
Martin, who also is a full-time police captain in Howland, and Atty. Dominic Vitantonio, who represents him, declined to comment.
Martin has been placed on unpaid suspension from both jobs. He appeared before Judge John Stuard of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
Dave Toepfer is the assistant county prosecutor handling the case.
Martin spent 21/2 hours testifying in front of the grand jury last week. The grand jury met six times to hear evidence in Martin's case.
Three teenagers have filed federal civil suits against Martin, saying they were paddled as part of the diversion program.
Vitantonio has said Martin used corporal punishment in his diversion program only in limited cases. When paddling was used, the juvenile and parents both agreed beforehand, he added.
& lt;a href=mailto:sinkovich@vindy.com & gt;sinkovich@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;