COWETA, Okla. — Chad Martin faces five felony charges, including child abuse, child sexual exploitation, and forcible sodomy, according to court documents.
Three fire departments responded to the blaze at Martin's home the evening of July 8. Coweta Fire officials said the fire appeared accidental but declined to share specific details about the cause.
WATCH: Coweta man faces felony sex abuse charges, accused of raping family member:
The criminal case against Martin began on June 5, when Coweta police responded to a call about a suicidal person who had possibly been sexually assaulted, according to an affidavit from Wagoner County Courts.
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During the investigation, officers reported speaking with a friend who made the initial call, stating Chad Martin sexually abused the victim.
That reporting person shared screenshots of sexually charged text messages between the victim and Martin, which gave investigators reason to request a search warrant for Martin's phone.
The phone search revealed multiple nude or partially nude images of Martin's younger adopted children, and several of the victim, according to court documents.
This discovery led officers to obtain a search warrant for the Martin home, where Coweta police called in the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to help collect biological evidence.
The affidavit reports that a DHS agent told CPD that the victim said in an interview the victim and Martin had sexual contact.
During the search, investigators found cameras installed in the victim's upstairs bedroom and bathroom, according to the affidavit. They confiscated all devices from the home.
Officers also obtained a search warrant for Martin's wife, Elaina's phone, which she provided willingly to investigators.
After officers left the home following the search, the affidavit states Elaina contacted police about a conversation she said she had forgotten about.
In text messages between the couple, Chad allegedly admits to "having sex" with the victim, but claims the victim manipulated him and now he's scared.
The officer recommended eight charges.
The victim told investigators the abuse began about a year ago and continued "almost daily," according to court records. At the start, Martin would have been 45-46 years old.
Investigators took the victim to Wagoner County Hospital for a forensic examination as part of the investigation.
They arrested Martin on July 3 on a $150,000 bond. He bailed out three days later, court records show.
The charges against Martin include:
- Two counts of felony child abuse
- Two counts of felony child sexual exploitation
- One count of felony forcible sodomy
Martin's arraignment is scheduled for August 5.
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