New London cop arrested for the fourth time
New London — The city police officer already facing felony charges in three domestic violence incidents was arrested again Wednesday for what police said is his continued interaction with an ex-girlfriend who he is barred from contacting.
Julio Gil-Martinez, 29, appeared in Norwich Superior Court in a red prison-issued jumpsuit and handcuffs to answer to the latest felony charges — two counts of violation of a protective order.
The charges stem from a Waterford police investigation into allegations Gil-Martinez had contacted by phone and in-person his ex-girlfriend on March 14 and 15.
Gil-Martinez has been held at the Corrigan Correctional Center on a $250,000 bond since his third arrest on March 17 by city police on charges of first-degree stalking and violation of a protective order. In that case, police said Gil-Martinez had been in repeated contact with his ex-girlfriend and at one point showed up at her job in New London.
Norwich Superior Court Judge Patrick Caruso set a $100,000 bond in the new arrest, increasing the total bond amount to a combined $350,000. If Gil-Martinez posts bond, Caruso ordered that he be in '24-7 lockdown' at his New London home and monitored by a GPS bracelet. A domestic violence lethality assessment completed by the court places Gil-Martinez's ex-girlfriend in the 'high danger' category.
Defense attorney Erica Rodriguez said Gil-Martinez suffers from mental health issues. She applied to the court for Gil-Martinez's acceptance into the Supervised Diversionary Program. Gil-Martinez will undergo a mental health examination and the court will decide whether he is suitable for the program that involves mental health counseling. If Gil-Martinez is accepted into the program and successfully completes it, the court could dismiss the charges against him. He is due to appear again on June 4 in Norwich Superior Court for an update.
Caruso said in court Wednesday that there 'does appear to be a mental health component' to the case.
Hired by the New London Police Department in 2023, Gil-Martinez was first arrested on Nov. 16, 2024 for the alleged assault and strangulation of his girlfriend. Police said a fight apparently had started over Gil-Martinez's ex-girlfriend texting other men. The woman, police said, admitted she was married when the two started dating and had been seeing another man, but said she 'was was going to leave them both for (Gil-Martinez).'
During a fight with his ex-girlfriend on Nov. 14, 2024, police said Gil-Martinez grabbed the woman while she was trying to call 911 and pulled her into the basement of his apartment, where Gil-Martinez cut himself with a knife as part of a scheme to convince police she stabbed him during a domestic dispute. At one point in the basement, the ex-girlfriend said, Gil-Martinez told her they needed to make a video of her trying to stab him or 'we both die tonight,' the arrest report states.
Gil-Martinez has been on paid administrative leave and the subject of an internal investigation since his first arrest. He was charged with second-degree threatening, third-degree assault, first-degree unlawful restraint, second-degree strangulation and interfering with an officer in that case.
Gil-Martinez was arrested again on Jan. 10 during another dispute with his ex-girlfriend at his New London home, where his ex-girlfriend admitted she was still staying despite the no contact order, police said.
In the latest case, police said Gil-Martinez's ex-girlfriend claims that she had seen Gil-Martinez on multiple occasions, including the evening of March 14, when she was at a residence in Waterford and spotted his SUV parked outside a neighboring home. The ex-girlfriend told police that she went outside to ask Gil-Martinez what he was doing there and he replied 'I just wanted to see how you were doing and I wanted to spend time with you,' police reports show.
'The Victim told (Gil-Martinez) he was being weird, and he needed a psychologist. The victim stated (Gil-Martinez) then turned around and left,' police reports show.
The ex-girlfriend also told Waterford police Gil-Martinez had driven slowly past a Waterford home where she was staying multiple occasions, including on March 15.
'On behalf of my client, Julio Gil-Martinez, I am respectfully requesting the media outlets and the community keep an open mind, as everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty,' Rodriguez said after court. 'Mr. Gil-Martinez deserves an opportunity to defend himself against the allegations asserted as said allegations are in dispute. I ask that judgment be reserved.'
Gil-Martinez is a Waterford High School graduate who earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Central Connecticut State University, according to his resume. He worked short stints at both the East Haven and West Haven police departments before he was hired in New London. In 2024 he was suspended for one day after being found in violation of the city and police department's harassment policies for unwanted advances toward a female colleague, records show. He was also ordered to attend workplace harassment training.
g.smith@theday.com
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