San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres was denied bail on Thursday amid an ongoing child sex abuse investigation.
Torres, who resigned from City Council effective Nov. 27, faces a maximum 24 years in jail if convicted on three felony counts of child molestation, which came after his Election Day arrest. Police are continuing their investigation of the embattled District 3 leader, after explosive police filings revealed he molested an underage relative in the 1990s and – in a separate affidavit — sent lewd texts about minors and asking for people under the age of 18 for sex.
Judge Hector Ramon said while Torres’ molestation of his relative happened decades ago, Torres’ more recent text messages asking for sex with minors indicate he’s still a threat to the community.
“We have these other statements that have been made recently which indicate Mr. Torres continues to have this interest in having sexual relations with boys under the age of 18,” Ramon said at the hearing.
The probe involving Torres’ more recent text messages about minors has not yet led to criminal charges.