SAN JOSE — Police have served a search warrant on Councilmember Omar Torres in connection with a criminal investigation, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
San Jose City Councilmember Omar Torres listens to a question following a rally in front of San Jose City Hall to express concerns over Mayor Matt Mahan’s plan to reallocate Measure E funds in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 16, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Thursday, officers stopped and detained Torres and served him with a warrant, sources told this news organization. It was not immediately clear what was sought in the warrant.
Details about the nature and scope of the investigation were not immediately available Thursday.
In response to this news organization, the San Jose Police Department said 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.
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Before representing District 3, which includes much of downtown San Jose, his employment history included work at the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose, the San Jose Unified School District, Santa Maria Urban Ministry and serving as former Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco’s deputy chief of staff.
Torres also sat on the board of the Franklin McKinley School District and was previously elected as a trustee of the San Jose-Evergreen Community College District. Torres served as a regional director for the California Democratic Party until last year and recently attended the Democratic National Convention in Chicago as a delegate.
This is a developing report. Check back for updates.
