San Jose City Councilman Omar Torres, representing District 3, is currently under investigation following shocking allegations of inappropriate conduct with a minor. Details of the investigation emerged on October 16, prompting San Jose’s mayor and nine city council members to urge Torres to resign immediately.
According to the Mercury News, Torres initially contacted the police in late August, claiming that he was being extorted by a 21-year-old man from Chicago. Torres reported to the San Jose Police Department that this individual threatened to release compromising photos and videos involving him unless he complied with a financial demand.
Torres estimates that he has already paid at least $22,000. However, as the police began their investigation, they discovered numerous sexually explicit messages exchanged by Torres that involved minors, thus placing him under scrutiny as the primary subject of the investigation. Torres asserts that these messages stemmed from his outrageous fantasies and role-playing scenarios.
The investigation records indicate that Torres described the anatomy of an 11-year-old autistic boy to a young man, inquiring whether he could find any homosexual individuals under the age of 18. Though no charges have yet been filed against Torres, many are questioning his ability to adequately represent the constituents of his district under these circumstances.
Approximately two weeks ago, San Jose police detained Torres and executed a search warrant related to potential felony charges concerning sexual acts with minors and exhibiting unusual interest in children.
Since news of the criminal investigation broke, Torres has largely vanished from the public eye, delegating his official duties to subordinates at meetings. District 10 Councilman Arjun Batra expressed uncertainty about whether Torres would attend any meetings personally, alongside several other council members who have called for his resignation.
In addition to missing last week’s city council meeting, Torres was also absent from meetings of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Board, the City Community Services and Education Committee, and a press conference. He failed to show up at the annual meeting of the San Jose Downtown Association, where he was scheduled to speak. According to city regulations, a council member can miss up to 60 days or five consecutive council meetings without consequence; exceeding this limit would create a vacancy in the position.
Larry Gerston, a professor at San Jose State University who taught Torres 15 years ago, noted that there are precedents for elected officials trying to cling to their positions amid similar allegations. However, he believes Torres may find it challenging to operate as he once did. Gerston suggested that Torres is likely avoiding public attention to assess his options, which may include waiting for pressure to subside before attempting a return to the city council.
