Ex-Ohio cop pleads innocent to sex crimes

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

A former policeman in suburban Cleveland has pleaded not guilty to charges that include rape, menacing by stalking and misuse of a law-enforcement database.

A judge Thursday reduced 55-year-old Jeffery Martin’s bond from $5 million to $150,000.

Martin was arrested in December after a woman reported that he’d sexually assaulted her in September 2014 and then stalked her at various times last year. He was indicted last week.

Martin’s attorney says his client looks forward to a trial when the woman will have to prove the accusations she’s made against Martin.

Martin resigned as a Pepper Pike police officer in August 2014.

He also is accused of impersonating a police officer in August 2015 to get information about the woman from a law-enforcement database.