Image sources: Ernesto Cesar Torres, longtime pediatrician and convicted sex offender, courtesy of Maryland’s State’s Attorney’s Office. 188 Thomas Johnson Drive, Frederick, Maryland, location of Torres’s former pediatric practice, © Google, via Google Maps.
“The only thing demonic about this case is this defendant’s actions,” said State’s Attorney Charlie Smith.
Key Takeaways
- Ernesto Cesar Torres, a former pediatrician, faced dozens of charges linked to four decades of sexual abuse of juvenile female patients.
- In March 2025, he was convicted of abusing a minor. In December 2025, he was sentenced to thirty years in prison, with more cases still pending.
- Torres claimed supernatural influences were responsible for his actions, showing no remorse during sentencing.
- Civil law offers survivors another path to justice, allowing them to seek accountability from institutions and secure resources for recovery.
- Survivors of abuse are encouraged to seek support, as compassionate legal help is available for those affected by Torres or similar cases.
In the case of Ernesto Cesar Torres, an important measure of justice has finally been secured, thanks to the courage of the victims who came forward.
This was a man who exploited his authority and position and harmed some of the most vulnerable members of his community.
Ernesto Cesar Torres, 74, has faced more than ninety-seven criminal charges connected to the alleged sexual abuse of dozens of female juvenile patients over the course of four decades.
In March 2025, a Frederick County jury convicted Ernesto Cesar Torres of sexually abusing a minor between 2015 and 2018, and in December 2025 he was sentenced to a total of three decades in prison for that same case.
However, this conviction represents only a fraction of the broader allegations still pending against him.
State’s Attorney Smith told CBS, “We’re looking forward to prosecuting the other cases and getting consecutive sentences so that the number of years he has to serve is going to be far longer than the number of days he has left on this earth,” Smith said. “We’re in talks with the parents and the young ladies right now. We have every intention to make sure he’s held responsible for the remaining victims.”
The Initial Reports in 2019
The earliest criminal disclosure surfaced in late April 2019, when an eighteen-year-old lifelong patient of Dr. Torres reported to Frederick Police that he sexually assaulted her during an appointment intended to discuss anxiety medication. The patient arrived for a visit on April 26, 2019, was taken to an exam room, and was examined by Torres. She reported that during the exam, Torres placed his hand inside her leggings and rubbed her genital area for several minutes while asking her questions about her anxiety. She began crying and later disclosed the incident to her mother and then her father. On Sunday, April 28, 2019, they reported the incident to the Frederick police.
According to the Maryland Board of Physicians, “On or about May 3, 2019, a Frederick County grand jury returned a three count indictment against [Torres] for: Second Degree Rape…Fourth Degree Sex Offense…and Second Degree Assault.”
Torres was later found guilty of second degree assault and fourth degree sex offense in connection with this case and sentenced in 2019 to one year in jail with credit for time served in home detention.
According to the State’s Attorney’s Office, on May 7 2019, a second report came from the mother of an eleven-year-old patient, who disclosed that “she brought her child to Torres to treat a mild skin condition, but that her child told her mother Torres made her uncomfortable by placing his hand down her pants and touching her ‘down there.’ In addition, the child described Torres’ rubbing her stomach repeatedly and kissing her.”
Torres was arrested at his practice and the investigation expanded, which led to many more victims being identified.
Dozens of Survivors and a Rapidly Expanding Case
According to the Frederick News-Post, “On May 17, 2019, Torres was indicted on an additional 61 counts connected to the alleged sexual abuse of a dozen children between 1980 and 2018.”
Over time, many more victims came forward. According to the State’s Attorney’s Office, “In December 2019, Defendant Ernesto Torres, was charged with ninety-eight counts of sexual offenses against nineteen separate juvenile victims from 7/2/2001 to 4/29/2019.”
The Maryland Board of Physicians suspended Torres’s license in May 2019, determining that emergency action was needed to protect public health and safety.
Years of Delay Due to Competency Evaluations
Although the expanding investigation moved quickly in 2019, the criminal case stalled beginning in 2021. According to the State’s Attorney’s Office, “A hearing was held before Judge Solt on June 23, 2021 to determine the Defendant’s competency.”
A state psychiatrist found Torres competent to stand trial, while his own psychiatrist argued that he remained “incompetent due to a delusional disorder and belief in an ‘Evil Black Witch.’”
Because the court viewed the two opinions as equally plausible, it could not determine beyond a reasonable doubt that he was competent. The Court would continue to review his competency over the next few years.
State’s Attorney Smith expressed frustration on behalf of the victims, emphasizing that prosecutors believed Torres was competent and understood what he had done.
In August 2024, after a new evaluation found he was competent, the court restored Torres’ competency, allowing prosecutors to resume proceedings.
According to the State’s Attorney’s Office, “The Court ordered the indictment be severed by victim” and the State proceeded on the case involving victim M.H.
The Guilty Verdict and Sentencing
On March 20, 2025, a Frederick County jury found Torres guilty of one count of sexual abuse of a minor and three counts of third-degree sexual offense for conduct that occured when the victim was between nine and eleven years old.
On December 8, 2025, Torres was sentenced to thirty years in the Division of Corrections. Because he had already served 2,087 days in custody and mental institutions, the court credited that time toward his sentence. According to WMAR 2 News, “Upon release, Torres will be placed on five-years of supervised probation, and have to register as a sex offender.”
At sentencing, the victim told the court that her childhood had been taken from her. Her parents described the profound impact the abuse had on their family.
“‘What he took from my daughter and my family can never be restored,’” she told the court.
Demons and Denial
Torres has repeatedly refused to take responsibility, invoking spirituality and supernatural forces as explanations for the disclosures made by children.
According to the state’s attorney, “he showed no remorse at sentencing.”
Torres had claimed he was controlled by an “evil black witch,” insisted he was a prophet in another life, and asserted “that there were demonic entities that were possessing these young girls into lying on him.” (CBS)
The Frederick News Post reported that “Torres called all of his accusers ‘unwitting pawns’ who have been ‘possessed by truly malevolent entities’ that have compelled them to make false allegations against him.”
The judge rejected Torres’s supernatural explanations, saying he did not believe them. He emphasized that Torres had violated the profound trust placed in doctors, describing such a betrayal involving a child, as “unfathomable.”
Frederick County State’s Attorney Charlie Smith called Torres’s assertion of the victim’s demon possession “egregious.”
“What he had to say about the victims at sentencing was one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever endured in a courtroom. The only thing demonic about this case is this defendant’s actions,” Smith said.
Torres’s statements reflect not only a refusal to acknowledge wrongdoing but also a harmful attempt to shift blame onto the survivors who bravely came forward. His spiritual claims appear to be an effort to avoid accountability.
This type of spiritual manipulation is not uncommon in cases of sexual abuse by authority figures. Offenders sometimes use religious or mystical language to intimidate victims, excuse their actions, or undermine a survivor’s credibility. For the victims, these explanations can create confusion, fear, and self-doubt that can last long after the abuse has ended.
If you or someone you love was harmed by Dr. Torres, you can reach the Frederick Police Department Victim Services Unit at (301) 600-1356.
Civil Options for Survivors
While the criminal conviction addresses Torres’ personal culpability, civil law offers a separate and vital avenue for survivors to pursue justice.
Civil cases allow survivors to explore what happened inside an institution, whether safeguards or oversight measures were lacking, and whether prior concerns or patterns should have been identified sooner.
Civil action can help secure resources for long-term therapeutic care, counseling, and the emotional recovery that sexual abuse often requires. It also empowers survivors to reclaim their narrative on their own terms. Many find that civil claims provide a sense of validation that the criminal system cannot always offer.
Speaking with a civil attorney does not obligate anyone to pursue litigation. It simply offers information, clarity, and support so survivors can make informed decisions about their options.
For Survivors and Their Families: You Are Not Alone
Survivors of sexual abuse often carry the weight of their experiences for years. Many child sexual abuse survivors do not disclose what happened until adulthood.
Others struggle to make sense of what occurred because the abuse happened in a clinical setting, a place where they were instructed to trust the authority of a doctor. Whether the harm happened recently or long ago, it is never too late to seek support.
If you or your child experienced abuse involving Dr. Ernesto Cesar Torres or any medical professional, compassionate and confidential help is available.
Our firm represents survivors in Maryland and nationwide and provides free, confidential consultations for survivors and their families.
You are not alone. We are here to listen, to support you, and to stand beside you as you consider the next steps toward justice and healing.
Contact us today.
