A Lehigh Acres man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for kidnapping a woman at a local gym.

Luis Alberto Martinez, 49, was found guilty at trial in February of one count each of kidnapping, aggravated assault with a firearm, resisting or obstructing an officer without violence, and battery.

The jury also found that he carried, displayed, used, or threatened to use a firearm during the commission of the kidnapping. Evidence introduced at trial included photographs of an object the defendant attached to himself under his clothes, that demonstrated his intent, along with his statements, to terrorize the victim as part of the kidnapping charge.

The crime happened in 2017 at a gym in Lehigh Acres.

A woman was doing her morning workout when the defendant, also a member, asked if she needed help. She declined. He began threatening her, then grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards the front door. Other members of the gym asked him to stop and told him deputies were on the way. The defendant kissed the victim on the cheek before walking out. Deputies with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office were on scene within minutes and located the defendant in the parking lot.

His complete sentence is as follows:

Count 1 Aggravated Assault with a Firearm 60 months in prison

Count 2 Kidnapping 20 years in prison followed by 2 years of community control followed by 1 year of state probation

Count 3 Resisting without Violence – 364 days in jail

Count 4 Battery 364 days in jail

The prison sentences are to be served concurrently.

Martinez also will be required to undergo a mental health evaluation and wear a GPS tracking device during the two years of community control. He will also be required to do community service, have no contact with the victim, and pay court costs and fines.

Assistant State Attorney Leena Marcos and Assistant State Attorney Heather Fly prosecuted the case.