Heroin Trafficking Suspect Arrested For Beating Veteran

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Deltona, FL - A 31-year-old Deltona man already a heroin trafficking suspect is under arrest for beating a 67-year-old military veteran with a bamboo stick.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office reports that Christian Martinez knocked the man unconscious and threatened to kill him.

Martinez was already wanted on a warrant for sale and delivery of heroin. VCSO Information Officer Andrew Gant said that yesterday (April 24) a detective responded to AdventHealth Fish Memorial Hospital in Orange City to meet with a man who had fractures to his neck and back after he was beaten the previous day.

The victim told detectives that he was at his home on Gainsboro Street in Deltona, with his 42-year-old female roommate on Tuesday when Martinez showed up. The victim reported that Martinez got into an argument with his roommate. The argument escalated and the victim said he tried to step in and calm things down. That's when Martinez picked up a large piece of bamboo and started hitting him with it, knocking him unconscious.

The victim said that he came to with Martinez standing over him holding a black semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine. The victim was told by Martinez that he would kill him if he reported the beating to police. The victim laid down for a few hours before getting a ride to the hospital where he used an alias to be admitted.

Martinez was arrested last night (April 24) by VCSO's Deltona Narcotics Enforcement Team at a home on Fieldstone Avenue. The homeowner told detectives that he did not want Martinez staying there. In the bedroom Martinez was using, 11 grams of heroin, a Glock .40 caliber handgun, several .40 and .380 round, a high capacity .40 caliber magazine, some marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a scale, and a ledger were found by detectives. The Glock was reported stolen out of Pennsylvania.

As a result of the search, in addition to the warrant for heroin trafficking, Martinez is charged with armed trafficking in heroin, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, grand theft firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana under 20g.

For the beating on Tuesday, Martinez is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon and ammunition by a convicted felon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and intimidating/threatening a victim.

Martinez, a five-time convicted felon over the past three years, was released from state prison in 2018 after serving about one year for burglary. He remains in custody without bond at the Volusia County Branch Jail.