SAN JOSE >> In a bombshell that stunned San Jose’s political and community circles alike, police detained, questioned and served search warrants on Councilmember Omar Torres for what multiple sources say is a criminal investigation into alleged sexual misconduct involving a minor — accusations that the downtown representative denounced as “baseless.”

Late Thursday night, following his police interrogation at City Hall, Torres strongly rejected the allegations that he said were “based on misinformation” and “a clear act of retaliation” from a person whom Torres had reported to police for allegedly extorting and stalking him.

“Let me be absolutely clear, these accusations are entirely false,” Torres said in a statement released by his attorney Nelson McElmurry.

“I want to be clear that I am the victim in this matter,” Torres added, referring to the police investigation he initiated that is now pointing back at him. “It’s heartbreaking that my family, my partner, my team, and myself have to respond to such unfounded and defamatory allegations.”Torres was not placed under arrest, and criminal charges have not been filed. The San Jose Police Department has said only that it “can confirm that a police investigation is underway involving a member of the San Jose City Council.”

“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.”

Thursday afternoon, officers detained Torres at City Hall and served him with a warrant, according to multiple sources familiar with the investigation, which apparently involves sexually explicit material and an alleged relationship. Search warrants were also served at residences associated with Torres.

The precise contents of the search warrants were not available, but sources said police confiscated electronic devices, including phones and computers. Torres appeared to partially confirm that in his statement, in which he acknowledged being questioned by police and asserted that he “cooperated fully with SJPD and turned over my passwords without issue as I have nothing to hide.”

Torres said the “attempts to discredit me” will not affect his office’s services to his constituents.

“Rest assured, I will continue to serve this community with integrity and determination,” he said, before directing further questions to McElmurry.

Torres, however, was absent from a press conference Friday that involved the federal government awarding $4.5 million for the Spartan Keyes Park project in his district. A staff member from his office represented him at the ceremony.

News of Torres’ detention and the active criminal investigation seemed to catch several of his colleagues off guard.

District 8 Councilmember Domingo Candelas and District 10 Councilmember Arjun Batra, both of whom Torres endorsed in the upcoming election, declined to comment Friday. As of Friday, Batra’s endorsement was no longer posted on his campaign website.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan also declined to comment on the allegations but added that City Hall was focused on serving the city’s constituents in response to questions about whether the investigation could become a distraction.

“I can’t comment any further because it’s an ongoing investigation, and we have to let our detectives do their jobs,” Mahan said Friday. “I know that our police department is working very hard to get to the truth. When there’s more information, our police department, in consultation with the city attorney, will be able to share that.”

Torres, 42, was elected in 2022 as the first openly gay Latino on 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.

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.

Bill James, the chair of the Santa Clara County Democratic Party, said that they’ve supported Torres in the past and that he has personally known the councilmember since he was a young adult getting his start in local politics.

“Those of us who know him would be very surprised if claims or accusations of this type were substantiated,” he said.

James added that the accuser should not be “disbelieved reflexively” and that both that person and Torres should be treated with “fairness and respect” throughout the investigative process.

Staff writer Grace Hase contributed to this report.