Omar Torres, 43, is no longer a member of the council of San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, United States. On November 8, 2022, he defeated Irene Smith in the general election for the city’s third district council.
On January 1, 2023, Torres assumed office. His term was supposed to end on December 31, 2026.
Why was Omar Torres arrested?
In 1990, Torres allegedly started sexually abusing a male cousin, then 4. The abuse allegedly continued until 1999.
Torres is accused of orally copulating the cousin. The suspect allegedly tried to have anal sex with the victim but was not able to so he sodomized him instead.
In 2022, Torres sent text messages to Terry Beeks, then 19, of Chicago, Illinois, USA. In the messages, the former described the genitalia of an 11-year-old boy, revealed that he performed oral sex on a boy, then 17, while working at a college and asked the teenager if he “got any homies under 18”.
In August 2024, authorities started an investigation into Torres for different allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor. On October 25, 2024, a group of residents and business owners in his district in San Jose pledged to begin a recall campaign against him if he did not resign.
On November 4, 2024, the cousin allegedly abused by Torres from 1990 to 1999 contacted the San Jose Police Department. During a phone call with the cousin, which officers recorded, Torres admitted to the crimes and apologized.
On November 5, 2024, Torres resigned from his position as a San Jose councilmember. On the same day, he was arrested.
On November 6, 2024, Torres was arraigned in court in San Jose. Represented by Nelson McElmurry, the former San Jose councilmember was charged with sodomy, oral copulation and lewd and lascivious acts on a minor under the age of 14.
On November 14, 204, Torres will be back in court to attend a bail hearing. He is being held without bail.
CONAN Daily 