Durante, Ferman & Other Top Montco Law Enforcement Officials on "Hit List"

Montco probes 50-plus hit list

By Margaret Gibbons
The Intelligencer

Montgomery County detectives are investigating a threatening letter containing a 50-plus person hit list that was received by the CIA from a man serving probation for a Hatfield Township car theft.

“I did not take this as a direct threat, but I think it is something that the courts should be made aware of and deal with in the appropriate manner,” said county District Attorney Risa Ferman. “Someone who writes something like this clearly has mental health issues that have not been addressed.”

Ferman, who was notified this week of the letter, was among those on the so-called hit list as was county Sheriff John P. Durante along with Barack Obama, John McCain, former Gov. Tom Ridge, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton and Gov. Ed Rendell.

Some of those on the list were named, such as a Montgomery County judge, while others were referred to by titles such as the prison warden, chief probation officer and “all chief top cops in Montgomery County,” according to Ferman, adding that detectives had contacted everyone listed.

Ferman declined to release the specifics of the letter. Instead, she described the letter's contents as primarily “ramblings” and “gibberish.”

The letter was sent to the CIA by 34-year-old Joshua Martinez, who has various addresses in the region, according to Ferman.

Ferman said a CIA official told her “Martinez writes them a lot.”

Hatfield police arrested Martinez for a car theft in January 2007. He pleaded guilty in November 2007 and received a probationary sentence, said Ferman.

Martinez is currently in prison in Bucks County awaiting a competency evaluation, according to Ferman. She said she did not know why Bucks County had him in custody.

Montgomery County has lodged a detainer against him for a probation violation and he will be returned to Montgomery County after his Bucks County matter is resolved, she said.

It is in preparation for the probation violation hearing that county detectives are investigating the letter and Martinez' dealings with the law.

“I don't think there is any immediate danger but I think it is important to bring mental health issues to the attention of the judge before they turn serious and cause harm,” said Ferman.