SAN JOSE, CA - On Tuesday, November 5th, San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres was arrested on suspicion of child molestation charges. As of this writing, Torres is being held in the Santa Clara County Main Jail without bail.
According to FOX2, the San Jose Police Department (SJPD) confirmed that Torres' arrest was related to "an ongoing investigation of crimes related to lewd acts with a child." More information about the alleged charges is forthcoming. Torres' attorney presents a different story, saying that his client had his office submit a resignation letter earlier and that coincidentally, the arrest happened a few hours later.
Calls for Torres' resignation have grown in recent weeks after it was revealed that he was under investigation by SJPD for child sex crimes. The councilmember initially said that those accusations were false.
Residents have launched a petition to recall Torres, with many in the community saying enough is enough and that he is no longer fit to serve. That recall process, however, could take months and requires signatures.
Torres' attorney previously said that private communication between his client and another man was "simply sexual fantasy and role play" and that Torres "was a victim of extortion." Councilmember Bien Doan, Torres' colleague, said that the police investigation into Torres was extensive and that the resignation did in fact follow Torres' arrest.
He said, "This action marks a crucial step toward accountability and I am pleased he has finally stepped down in the best interest of the people of District 3. This is a pivotal moment for our city. We must work together to restore trust in our city council and ensure that the actions of one individual do not overshadow the collective responsibility we have to our communities. The people of our city deserve leaders who are committed to transparency, integrity, and service."
Since word of the investigation broke, Torres has been silent and largely absent from city council meetings. Back in October, he was effectively removed from his appointed positions and his colleagues lost confidence in him. At one point, Mayor Matt Mahan said Torres was "holding his seat hostage" and that he was denying representation to 100,000 San Jose residents.
The news of Torres being arrested broke on election night. Mayor Mahan reacted by saying, "I'm completely horrified and angered by the possibility that contrary to his claims of this being merely outrageous fantasies and role play, he may have in fact harmed children and I need to recognize that there's an ongoing investigation and he's afforded due process by our laws, but I'm just completely disgusted by this turn of events and I'm confident that our police department, our district attorney, and their teams are going to ensure that justice is served."
According to KRON4, a police affidavit contains texts from Torres in which he says he had oral sex with a 17-year-old. The texts were with a 21-year-old Chicago man who Torres had a "sexual online relationship" with. Torres claims that the Chicago man, identified as Terry Beeks, extorted him for nearly $22,000 after threatening to release nude photos of the councilmember.
The Chicago Police Department (CPD) served a search warrant at Beeks' house in September, seizing items including his phone and laptop. Beeks told police that Torres made comments about the genitalia of an underage boy and asked Beeks about "finding minors," as stated in the police affidavit. After seeing the texts between Torres and Beeks, SJPD began thinking of Torres as a suspect and not a victim.
According to FOX2, the San Jose Police Department (SJPD) confirmed that Torres' arrest was related to "an ongoing investigation of crimes related to lewd acts with a child." More information about the alleged charges is forthcoming. Torres' attorney presents a different story, saying that his client had his office submit a resignation letter earlier and that coincidentally, the arrest happened a few hours later.
Calls for Torres' resignation have grown in recent weeks after it was revealed that he was under investigation by SJPD for child sex crimes. The councilmember initially said that those accusations were false.
Residents have launched a petition to recall Torres, with many in the community saying enough is enough and that he is no longer fit to serve. That recall process, however, could take months and requires signatures.
Torres' attorney previously said that private communication between his client and another man was "simply sexual fantasy and role play" and that Torres "was a victim of extortion." Councilmember Bien Doan, Torres' colleague, said that the police investigation into Torres was extensive and that the resignation did in fact follow Torres' arrest.
He said, "This action marks a crucial step toward accountability and I am pleased he has finally stepped down in the best interest of the people of District 3. This is a pivotal moment for our city. We must work together to restore trust in our city council and ensure that the actions of one individual do not overshadow the collective responsibility we have to our communities. The people of our city deserve leaders who are committed to transparency, integrity, and service."
Since word of the investigation broke, Torres has been silent and largely absent from city council meetings. Back in October, he was effectively removed from his appointed positions and his colleagues lost confidence in him. At one point, Mayor Matt Mahan said Torres was "holding his seat hostage" and that he was denying representation to 100,000 San Jose residents.
The news of Torres being arrested broke on election night. Mayor Mahan reacted by saying, "I'm completely horrified and angered by the possibility that contrary to his claims of this being merely outrageous fantasies and role play, he may have in fact harmed children and I need to recognize that there's an ongoing investigation and he's afforded due process by our laws, but I'm just completely disgusted by this turn of events and I'm confident that our police department, our district attorney, and their teams are going to ensure that justice is served."
According to KRON4, a police affidavit contains texts from Torres in which he says he had oral sex with a 17-year-old. The texts were with a 21-year-old Chicago man who Torres had a "sexual online relationship" with. Torres claims that the Chicago man, identified as Terry Beeks, extorted him for nearly $22,000 after threatening to release nude photos of the councilmember.
The Chicago Police Department (CPD) served a search warrant at Beeks' house in September, seizing items including his phone and laptop. Beeks told police that Torres made comments about the genitalia of an underage boy and asked Beeks about "finding minors," as stated in the police affidavit. After seeing the texts between Torres and Beeks, SJPD began thinking of Torres as a suspect and not a victim.
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