Former Prison Psychologist Pleads No Contest To Staged Assault

ROSEVILLE (CBS13) – A psychologist formerly employed at New Folsom Prison pleaded no contest Wednesday to conspiracy for reporting a staged sexual assault at her home.

Laurie Ann Martinez, 36, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and five years probation for working with a friend, 33-year-old Nicole Snyder, to fake a home invasion and rape in order to convince Martinez's husband to move out of the neighborhood.

Snyder took electronics from Martinez's home and punched the other woman with boxing gloves to create facial injuries, and Martinez ripped her clothing in hopes of convincing authorities she was sexually assaulted, investigators said. Martinez also scraped her knuckles with sandpaper and split open her own lip with a pin.

Snyder was sentenced to three years probation and 90 days of community service.

Martinez is no longer employed as a psychologist at California State Prison – Sacramento, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Martinez's husband filed for divorce six weeks after she filed the fake assault report.