BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — On Monday afternoon, Marty M. Walton, 34, of North Tonawanda, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 20 years post-release supervision after pleading guilty to three charges related to the sexual abuse of children.
Walton must also register as a sex offender upon release.
Orders of protection for Walton's two victims were issued by Justice Deborah Haendiges and will remain in effect until 2063.
Walton has been held without bail since his arrest in Erie County in June 2020. At that time, investigators accused Walton of the sexual abuse of two children in the Town of Amherst between March 27 and May 9. He was charged with one count of first-degree criminal sex act, one count of first-degree sexual abuse, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
In August 2022, Walton pleaded guiltyto one count of first-degree criminal sex act and two counts of first-degree sexual abuse, all violent felonies.
While Walton was under investigation in Amherst, he and his wife, Shani Walton, were charged in Niagara County in connection to the sexual abuse of two children ages eight and nine. Marty was charged with sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. Shani was charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
It's unclear if the two children in the Niagara County investigation and those in the Erie County investigation are the same children or different children. It is also unknown whether the children were involved in the Girl Scouts troop led by Walton.
Following his initial arrest, the Girl Scouts of Western New York released the following statement:
First, we at the Girl Scouts of Western New York want to voice our concern for the two children and we want them to have the best-possible care and support.
Though we immediately contacted police officials for details, we do not yet know whether the victims are involved in Girl Scouts.
Nonetheless, we would reinforce that there is nothing more important to Girl Scouts than the safety and well-being of all children, and we take all such allegations very seriously.
