This sex offender has 3 convictions. He just moved to Kennewick

A man with a trio of sex crimes and classified as a high-risk offender is now living in Kennewick.

Kenneth C. Martinez moved into a home on the 1600 block of First Avenue in Kennewick after serving time for his most recent crimes in Walla Walla, said Kennewick police.

Martinez, 38, is considered a Level 3 offender, the highest potential risk to commit another crime, said Kennewick Officer Roman Trujillo, with the city’s sex offender registration program.

There are about 240 sex offenders living in Kennewick at any one time. The majority are at a low-risk to commit another sex crime, say police.

He makes the 11th Level 3 offender.

By law, convicted sex offenders must register their addresses with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, which ranks them from one to three based on their risk to reoffend.

Martinez committed his first sex crime when he was 15 and was convicted in 1996 of child molestation and a sex abuse. He also has convictions for not registering as a sex offender, assault, theft and a 2007 rape.

Most of his crimes were in Walla Walla, including a his most recent convictions for trespassing and violating a court order.

Martinez has finished up the terms of his sentence, and the state Department of Corrections is not monitoring him, Trujillo said.

Kennewick police are keeping track of him and plan to check in every three months to make sure he is living where he said he is.

“People should be aware that these people do live in our community,” Trujillo said. “People commit crimes and most all of them will get out, that includes sex offenders.”

Police warn the public against harassing sex offenders but issue the alerts so that people take precautions and can talk to their children about reporting when they are in situations that make them feel uncomfortable.

This story was originally published December 27, 2018 at 1:09 PM.