Appellate Court Upholds Asbury Park Cop's Firing Over A Sexual Relationship With A Woman He Arrested

An appellate court panel has upheld the firing of an Asbury Park cop who had a sexual relationship with a woman he arrested on drug charges, according to app.com.

Ex-Patrolman Antonio Martinez had an "unblemished record" until the relationship surfaced. Martinez at first denied the relationship, but later admitted to the affair during a police department disciplinary hearing. He was fired in July 2015.

"Specifically, he admitted that he had sex with the woman while the criminal charges were pending, and again after her criminal case was resolved," according to court documents.

Martinez and another officer arrested the woman, identified as "E.B." on Sept. 14, 2014. She was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The officers then took the woman to the police station, and discussed the possibility of her becoming a confidential informant.

The woman initially agreed, but later said she no longer wanted to become an informant. Martinez and the woman continued to communicate and eventually began sexually involved, including a November 2014 in a tryst in a WalMart parking lot in his truck and on the Belmar beach.

Authorities were notified about the relationship after a relative of the woman became aware of it and contacted them.

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