A former Maryland pediatrician was sentenced to 30 years in prison Monday after he was accused of sexually abusing dozens of patients over four decades, according to the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office. 

In March, Ernesto Cesar Torres, 74, was found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor and three counts of third-degree sex offense.  Nearly five years of Torres' sentence will be reduced due to time served.

Sex abuse investigation 

Police were alerted to Torres' offenses after the mother of an 11-year-old victim reported that her child had been sexually abused during a pediatric exam in May 2019, according to court records. 

The mother reported that she brought her child to see Torres for a mild skin condition. The child told her mother that Torres "made her uncomfortable by placing his hand down her pants and touching her," court documents said.

The child also told her mother that Torres rubbed her stomach and kissed her. The family changed pediatricians after the child reported that she felt uncomfortable, according to court records. 

Following the allegations, Frederick police contacted Child Protective Services and the Child Advocacy Center to conduct an interview with the victim. During the interview, the child said Torres put his hands down her pants. 

Torres was arrested at his medical practice, court officials said.

During the investigation in 2019, the Frederick County State's Attorney said there were at least 24 victims, all young, female patients from Torres' medical practice in Frederick. The abuse dated from 1980 to 2018. 

Following the initial allegation, a judge allowed Torres to continue seeing patients. However, he agreed to stop practicing medicine during a later bail review hearing.

Sentencing hearing 

During Torres' sentencing hearing, the young victim told the court, "I now can't trust male authority. My childhood was taken away from me."

"For 15 years, my children saw him regularly," the victim's mother said. "I trusted him. I had no idea what my child was living through.

A judge ordered Torres to serve five years of probation and register as a sex offender after his release from prison. 

"This is truly a story of perseverance both by the victim and the prosecutors," State's Attorney Charlie Smith said. "Neither would be discouraged or dissuaded, and now this child predator will spend 25 more years in jail.