Former San Jose city councilman Omar Torres convicted of child molestation
The Santa Clara County District Attorney confirmed that former San Jose City Councilman Omar Torres was convicted Tuesday of sexually molesting a minor in 1999, the same day a special election was being held to fill his vacant seat.
The former city councilman, who had been under fire since last fall and was arrested on Election Day a short time later for alleged child sex abuse, entered a no contest plea to multiple charges of lewd and lascivious acts on a minor under the age of 14 in a court hearing Tuesday morning, resulting in a conviction.
The 43-year-old Torres, who was a teenager at the time the crime was committed, molested the victim numerous times starting when the victim was four years old, according to the evidence.
Torres served as city councilman for downtown San Jose from 2023 to late 2024 when he was charged. He will be sentenced at a later date, and faces incarceration as well as lifetime registration as a sex offender.
"It is heartbreaking that someone elected to represent and serve thousands of San Jose residents had previously molested a small child," District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in the press release issued by his office. "Children are vulnerable and precious, and my Office will do everything in our legal power to fight for their safety and fully prosecute those who hurt them."
The victim contacted police last year after reports came out about a separate department investigation into potential sexual abuse of minors by Torres. The investigation revealed that Torres abused the minor between 1990 and 1999.
The criminal charges against Torres involve alleged acts from Nov. 25, 1999, about a month after Torres turned 18 years old.
Torres, who had previously worked as a school trustee, resigned from the city council in early November hours before his arrest. The special election to fill his city council seat is being held Tuesday.
