A Monterey County man was sentenced Thursday to a year in county jail and felony probation for child endangerment involving the arranged marriage of his 14-year-old daughter, prosecutors said.
According to the Monterey County District Attorney's Office, Marcelino Martinez, 37, of Salinas, agreed to allow his daughter to live with her 18-year-old boyfriend and his family in exchange for $16,000, as well as beer, meat and soft drinks.
Investigators say Martinez is from a part of Mexico where arranged marriges are common. Apparently, he forgot he was in the United States, where that type of thing is very illegal.
Martinez's attorney told the Monterey County Herald that the sentence is a waste of money because his client will likely be deported after his release
The incident was reported to police in December.
