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Hi - I'm Jason. I am an attorney who practices law in San Francisco, California. I represent survivors of sexual abuse and help people find justice caused by the negligence of others. My team and I are ready to help you.
Were you or a loved one sexually abused by Martin Ramos, a 43-year-old police dispatcher, and Jehovah’s Witnesses church elder. Ramos has been accused of conducting an inappropriate relationship with a minor. He has been arrested and charged for child sexual molestation, but our experienced attorneys believe that other sexual abuse survivors have yet to step forward.
Learn more from our Attorneys: Jehovah’s Witnesses Sexual Abuse Lawsuit: Lawyers Helping Victims
If you or a loved one were abused by Ramos, our dedicated CA sex abuse law firm is here to help. We understand the significant struggles that sexual abuse survivors contend with on their path to justice. Our only goal is to support survivors and help them come forward with confidence.
Similar Case: Jehovah’s Witnesses Reach Settlement In California After 2 Child Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
Sexual abuse of any kind can leave lasting scars. Survivors often grapple with painful and powerful emotions, including feelings of anger and shame, fear, and embarrassment. This was not your fault. There is no excuse for sexual abuse. You are not alone.
You may have powerful legal options. In recent months, the Jehovah’s Witnesses church has fielded damning allegations of covering up countless sexual abuse cases, hiding dangerous sexual predators from secular authorities. If true, these allegations point to a vile pattern that must be stopped immediately.
Some survivors may be eligible to pursue financial compensation by filing a sexual abuse lawsuit. Again, we understand that stepping forward can be a terrifying proposition, but civil action is often the only way that insular church organizations will ever come to justice.
We urge you to reach out to our compassionate abuse attorneys today for a free, confidential consultation. You can learn more about your rights and legal options at no charge and no obligation. Your consultation is completely private and all information you provide will be kept in the utmost of confidences. You can find your voice and share your story with the world.
A Fresno, California church elder in the Jehovah’s Witnesses church has been charged with sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl that he mentored. Martin Ramos, 43, works as a police dispatcher for the Madera Police Department, but according to police officials, the church elder abused his position as a leader in the Jehovah’s Witnesses church to begin a sexual relationship with a minor.
Ramos was arrested on September 21, 2018, only one day after police authorities received an anonymous tip about the police dispatcher. That tip led to an investigation, in which police learned that Ramos had met the girl and her family three years previous through his role as a church elder. Police say Ramos mentored the girl, and that the two frequently exchanged text messages. According to police reports, Ramos and the minor at one point exchanged “inappropriate” photographs of themselves, at which point “their relationship turned physical,” the Fresno Bee reports.
Ramos has been charged with misdemeanor child molestation, felony oral copulation, and possession and distribution of child pornography. He has pleaded not guilty and been released on bail. His next court date is set for November.
This is not the first sexual abuse allegation to be leveled against a church elder in the Jehovah’s Witnesses church. Over recent years, a growing number of sexual abuse survivors have stepped forward to accuse church elders and others within the church of abuse. Many of these survivors say that they were pressured to remain silent.
The church’s official position on sexual abuse is that any allegations should be handled internally, rather than forwarded to the appropriate secular authorities. In many cases, this may constitute a violation of the law, since any suspicions of sexual abuse are required to be reported to the police or federal law enforcement officials.
A failure to properly report sexual abuse only serves to protect abusers from justice, allowing them to continue their misconduct in secret. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, the main nonprofit conducting business for the Jehovah’s Witnesses church, has been locked in a legal battle for years over the release of internal documents over sexual abuse.
In September 2018, the Watchtower was ordered to pay $35 million in compensation to a woman who accused the national organization of pressuring Montana church elders to cover up her own sexual abuse allegations. Nationally, the Watchtower faces dozens of similar lawsuits.
