San Jose police serve warrant on city councilmember Omar Torres

SAN JOSE — Police served a search warrant on Councilmember Omar Torres and detained him Thursday in connection with a criminal investigation related to alleged sexual misconduct involving a minor, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

Thursday, officers stopped and detained Torres and served him with a warrant, sources told this news organization, adding that the investigation involved sexually explicit material and probed an alleged relationship.

It was not immediately clear what was listed in the warrant, but police likely sought to seize his electronic devices given the nature and scope of the investigation.

The San Jose Police Department said Thursday it “can confirm that a police investigation is underway involving a member of the San Jose City Council,” but did not offer more details.

“The investigation is active and ongoing. For this reason, we do not have more information to provide at this time,” the department said. “As the investigation unfolds and new information is discovered, SJPD hopes to provide an update at a later date.”

A call to Torres’ phone number was directed straight to his voicemail, which was full and could not record any more messages.

A spokesperson for Mayor Matt Mahan declined to comment on the matter and deferred to the police department, citing that it involves an active investigation.

Torres, 42, was elected in 2022 as the first openly gay Latino member of the City Council after campaigning as an advocate for youth and families, speaking often about his tough upbringing in the Washington neighborhood and how it spurred him to become more active in his community.