⏱ 2 min read
Jose Luis Reyes-Martinez, a 35-year-old Mexican national, embarked on a terrifying crime spree in Houston, leaving a trail of victims in his wake. On September 9, 2023, Reyes-Martinez stormed into the Fiesta Supermarket on Airline Drive, brandishing a handgun and forcing an employee into a frozen meat locker. He then demanded cash before fleeing on a bicycle, but his rampage was far from over.
Reyes-Martinez broke into a nearby residence, holding a family hostage at gunpoint for several hours. He tied one of them up, sexually assaulted a woman while brandishing the firearm, and then stole their car. Forensic analysis on a condom recovered from the assault matched Reyes-Martinez, linking him to the heinous crime. Authorities had previously encountered Reyes-Martinez in Arizona in 2012, where he was deported after illegally entering the United States.
Reyes-Martinez’s crime spree finally came to an end when law enforcement discovered him in Houston on October 21, 2023. He pleaded guilty to robbery, carjacking, brandishing a firearm, and illegal reentry. The FBI and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez prosecuting the case.
Reyes-Martinez now faces up to 20, 15, and two years for the robbery, carjacking, and illegal re-entry convictions, respectively. He will also receive a minimum of seven years and up to life for brandishing a firearm, which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. U.S. District Judge Sim Lake will impose sentencing on September 24.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Violent Crime
- Defendant: Texas
- Location: TX
- Source: DOJ Press Release
