Sponsor
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
KPCC Archive

San Bernardino County couple sought for alleged torture of 5-year-old boy

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.

San Bernardino County authorities are on the hunt for a man and a woman wanted for allegedly torturing a 5-year-old boy.

Martin Roland Morales and his wife Crystal Pauline Rodriguez are charged with torture, child abuse and false imprisonment.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department investigators say Morales, 32, repeatedly abused a boy at the couple’s rented home in Apple Valley. It’s not clear if the youngster is a relative. They say he was burned, deprived of food and water, and sexually assaulted.

Authorities are looking for other male suspects who might have taken part in the abuse.

Sponsored message

Morales is an Eastlake Gang member who goes by the nickname “Bullet.” He’s 5-11 and 280 pounds, with tattoos across his shaved head. Authorities say Morales is armed and dangerous. He allegedly said he’d “shoot it out” with deputies if they tried to arrest him.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department says Morales and Rodriguez may have fled to L.A. County.

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Chip in now to fund your local journalism

A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right