ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The three Albuquerque firefighters accused of raping a woman made separate appearances in court Wednesday.
Aden Heyman, Angel Portillo, and Anthony Martin have all been granted pre-trial release, with conditions, such as having zero contact with the victim, having to wear GPS monitors, and several others.
The complaint filed to the state alleged that the victim was drinking at the pool of a condo complex where one of the men lived. The victim said she woke up to the three men holding her down as they took turns assaulting her and she later escaped through a bathroom window.
The state said the men should stay in custody arguing that they may try to influence the case using their positions as public servants with the Albuquerque Fire Rescue Department. The defense submitted several letters from family members and friends of the accused attempting to portray the men in a positive light through their service to the community.
The judge sided with the defense and decided not to hold Heyman until trial. “He doesn’t have any felony convictions, he doesn’t have any misdemeanor convictions, he doesn’t have any current charges, but his history is fairly old. So, they do recommend a low level, actually, they just recommend a release without pre-trial services,” said Judge Brit Baca-Miller.
Judge Baca-Miller ruled that all three men be released from pre-trial custody while they await trial. Heyman and Portillo have been placed on administrative leave. Martin recently retired from AFR.
