The Gaston County Police Department announced on Mar. 10 that its Fugitive Apprehension and Suspect Tracking (FAST) Team, along with the Criminal Investigations Unit, assisted Siler City Police in executing a search warrant at an apartment complex in Gaston County on March 4.
Jose Isaias Martel-Arriaga was arrested during the operation. He faced multiple outstanding warrants from Chatham County, North Carolina, including 40 counts of first degree sexual exploitation of a minor, nine counts of indecent liberties with a minor, four counts of solicitation of a child by computer, three counts of solicitation of a child for prostitution, and three counts of extortion. Authorities also said Martel-Arriaga had been listed as wanted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for failing to appear for removal proceedings.
Martel-Arriaga was transported to the Gaston County Jail and is being held without bond. The police department said it remains committed to protecting vulnerable members of the community and will continue working with law enforcement partners to ensure those accused of crimes against children are brought to justice.
Education data from Gaston County shows that among senior students taking the science portion of the ACT in local school districts during the 2022-23 school year, 17.6% were considered ready for college according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. For junior students taking the same test, 20% met college readiness standards according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
In reading, 26.5% of seniors and 27.1% of juniors were deemed college-ready according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. In math, results showed that 17.5% of seniors and 18.8% of juniors reached college readiness benchmarks according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
There is no additional information available at this time.
