San Jose City Councilmember Omar Torres was arrested today on child molestation charges, hours after submitting his resignation to city officials. He is being held without bail tonight, according to the Santa Clara County Department of Correction.
“Omar Torres has been arrested on suspicion of committing some of the most serious crimes imaginable,” said Mayor Matt Mahan in a statement this evening. “I’m horrified by the possibility that — far from his claim of outrageous fantasies — he may have in fact harmed children.”
The San Jose Police Department confirmed that “Omar Torres was taken into custody today as part of an ongoing investigation of crimes related to lewd acts with a child.”
Police released no further details, but said they will provide additional information at a press conference on Wednesday.
“I trust our police department and district attorney to ensure that justice is served through the due process afforded by our laws,” said the mayor. “ If you have any information related to this case or other cases involving harm to children, I would ask you to reach out to the San Jose Police Department.”
The arrest and resignation ended a month of controversy that rocked City Hall, but it remained unclear this evening whether the arrest was based on new revelations of sexual misconduct or on the sexually explicit emails and videos revealed in an Oct. 1 police affidavit.
Torres was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail today on suspicion of at least one count of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14, and is being held without bail.
The now-former first-term council member for District 3 in downtown San Jose has not attended any city meetings, and declined all comments since declaring his innocence when police served search warrants on the 43-year-old on Oct. 1 for his car, electronic devices and his residences.
Torres’ attorney, Nelson McElmurry did not immediately respond to requests for more information about the arrest or charges or resignation.
In September, Torres had invited police to investigate what he claimed was an extortion plot by a Chicago man.
The arrest and resignation followed multiple calls for his resignation after he admitted participating in the online exchanges, which his lawyer defended as “role play” and “fantasy.”
District 7 Councilmember Bien Doan said in statement that he was “pleased he has finally stepped down in the best interest of the people of District 3.”
“It is now crucial that District 3 has new leadership as quickly as possible,” Doan said. “The people of the district deserve to be fully represented, and we must move swiftly to ensure that their voice is heard in the council without further delay.”
Doan was the first council member to call for Torres to resign, followed nearly a week later by the mayor and the full council.
“This is a pivotal moment for our city,” he said in a statement today. “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.”
