Man pleads guilty to sex crimes with minor; victim’s parents shot during confrontation

CHARLOTTE — A man pleaded guilty Monday morning to sex crimes with a minor.

Nate Martin will spend 15 to 27 months in prison for having sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl.

He was handcuffed and led out of the courtroom after pleading guilty to two counts of indecent liberties with a minor.

The teen’s parents were shot in December 2023 when they drove from Virginia to south Charlotte to confront Martin.

Martin was dating the victim’s older sister at the time and would take advantage of the victim in hotel rooms when they would visit.

At some point, the victim told her sister about it who alerted their parents in Virginia.

Both the victim’s mother and father drove to Charlotte to confront Martin at his home on Meadowridge Drive off Carmel Road.

During that confrontation, the victim’s parents were shot. Her mother died.

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Nobody was charged in that shooting after the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department found it legally justified.

However, that was when police first found out about the sexual assaults and started investigating.

Martin was originally charged with four felonies but as part of the plea deal, two were dropped.

The district attorney’s office said this was the best way forward because a trial would have been risky since they were lacking forensic evidence.

Along with prison time, Martin must register as a sex offender for 30 years.

The victim’s family was in the courtroom Monday but did not testify.

Hunter Sáenz, wsoctv.com