A Worth Park District commissioner resigned shortly after being charged with indecent solicitation to meet a child, Orland Park police said. Anthony M. Martin, 46, was charged Aug. 21, one week after police received a complaint from the child’s mother. The charge against Martin, a felony, stems from text messages he allegedly sent over a 10-hour period Aug. 3 and 4 to a 14-year-old Orland Park girl, who he met at a party, according to 20-page police report. Martin was released on $100,000 bond the following day, said Orland Park Police Commander John Keating. Attempts to reach Martin for comment were unsuccessful. He submitted his resignation Aug. 21 and subsequently turned in his commissioner’s handbook and other materials, Worth Park District Director Carlo Capalbo said. Martin cited “personal reasons” for his resignation, said Capalbo, who was unaware of the criminal charge against the former commissioner. “I have no knowledge of that whatsoever,” he said. Martin became a park district commissioner in April following a successful write-in campaign for an open seat on the five-member board.

Martin works with the boyfriend of the girl’s mother and the party was thrown by their boss, police said. Martin’s texts allegedly asked the girl if she drank, was interested in piercings and if he could sneak her out for an overnight visit so she could get her navel pierced.

Martin allegedly called the girl a “sexy dork” and asked if she would like to “mess around with” him or consider getting to know him romantically, police said. He allegedly asked her to send him a picture of her belly, face, fully clothed or whatever she wanted to send him, reports said. Police said the girl also told them that Martin touched her inappropriately while at the party. She said she did not react to being touched and did not tell anyone while at the party, police said. According to police, the girl told her mother about the texts several days after the party. Her mother told her to delete the messages so she would not have to look at them any longer. She first took screen shots of the texts, which were forwarded to Orland Park police the report said. The Orland Park police said that he admitted to sending the messages while he was drinking and added that he probably should not have sent them, according to reports. He allegedly told police he did not recall the entire contents of the texts, but realized the following morning upon reviewing them that he should not have sent them.

Martin said he asked the victim for her email address and added that he knew she was under 18 years old, police said.

Capalbo said he will appoint a candidate to fill the remainder of Martin’s two-term on the park board. Anyone interested should call the park district at 448-7080 for information.