Ricky Martin facing 50 years in jail following incest allegations

A fresh twist has emerged in the ongoing domestic violence case facing Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin that could see him spend up to 50 years behind bars.

This comes just two weeks after a Puerto Rican court issued Martin with a restraining order following the filing of a petition by an anonymous person who sought the decree on grounds of intimidation and domestic violence.

The  alleged victim's name had not been revealed at the time but according to the New York Post, Martin's brother, Eric Martin, has purported that the so-called victim was none other than the singer's 21-year-old nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sanchez.

Incest cases are considered as highly taboo and treated seriously in Puerto Rico, with such charges attracting jail sentences of up to five decades if a person is found guilty of the offence.

In the initial restraining order application, the victim claimed that Martin did not take it well when he called it quits on a seven-month relationship between the pair going as far as stalking him outside his home.

He also claimed that the relationship was marred with instances of domestic violence and psychological abuse. Martin has however maintained his innocence.

"The protection order entered against me is based on completely false allegations, so I will respond through the judicial process with the facts and the dignity that characterize me," Martin wrote in a Twitter post on July 4, 2022.

"Because it is an ongoing legal matter, I cannot make detailed statements at this time. I am grateful for the countless messages of solidarity, and I receive them with all my heart."